Flowers Amidst Rubble
by Manus Dei
Summary: In the aftermath of Ragnarok, those who stood against the tyranny of Neo Arcadia examine the paths that led them to that point as they pick up the pieces of their lives and face the task of building a new tomorrow.
1. Clear Sky

Prologue – In the Heavens, a Blaze

"_So this is how it ends..."_ Zero thought.

It was finally over. Neo Arcadia, the bastion of tyranny he had been awakened in order to oppose, reduced to a smoking crater. Copy X, first beaten, then reduced to irrelevance, and then finally destroyed. The Dark Elf, returned to her original form as the Mother Elf and released. Elpizo, freed from his madness and the burden of leadership. Omega, a murderous relic of a bygone age and a twisted remnant of his past, beaten, hopefully to fade into a distant memory. Weil, the tyrant, the monster in human form, crumbling to pieces before him, beaten, broken.

The final confrontation had taxed his strength and Ragnarok's structural integrity, stretching them to their limits. As Weil's hateful presence faded, the ancient structure was wracked with explosions and started falling apart in orbit.

Zero knew that, despite his habit of coming back time and again, it would be difficult even for him to pull it off again in such circumstances.

"_Forgive me, Ciel..."_ he thought with a pang of grief, mentally scolding himself for having charged in with only two sub-tanks, which were now thoroughly drained. _"Iris… it looks like I'll see you again soon."_

With a sigh, he looked down on the Earth. His previous experiences in outer space had not usually been pleasant at all, but there was something beautiful in the blue marble below, even after the centuries of abuse it had taken. Ever the fighter, he still struggled to find some sort of escape path, but with debris falling everywhere and the floor under his feet, his chances looked rather grim.

"_I wish I could have seen… what you will make of this world Ciel."_

And with a final conflagration, as the last few portions of Ragnarok still holding together crumbled, he plunged towards the Earth for what seemed like an eternity.

With a flash of white and a rustling of wings, another object intercepted his path.

"Not this time." a voice intervened.

The owner of the voice, a tall figure clad from head to toe in white, made its way into the scene. Its hands covered by gloves, swatted loose pieces of falling debris aside as it fixated its gaze upon its destination. its features completely hidden under a strange hood that seemed to swallow all light underneath it. Its body was enveloped in a nimbus of white light and a pair of white, feathered wings protruded from its back, somehow seemingly able to fly even in such a vacuum.

With unnaturally firm hands, the stranger gripped Zero's body and set about guiding it down, shielding him with its own body so as to take the brunt of the heat of re-entry. The nimbus of white light enveloping its body pushed against the atmosphere's resistance, providing a measure of protection, and eventually like a comet, the two streaked down together.

With an abrupt flap of its large wings, the figure halted their trajectory at a spot high enough to be beyond the sight of any accidental interlopers.

"Blacked out..." the figure realized, seemingly muttering to itself as it took a look at Zero. "Probably for the best."

The figure sighed and looked at its unwitting passenger, raising a quivering fist.

"Idiot..." the figure then scolded, knowing very well the unconscious Zero could not hear it. "Rushing in there by yourself with two sub-tanks and a pair of balls bigger than your head… making HER cry yet again."

Adjusting its grip, the figure raised its gloved right hand and clawed its fingers, conjuring more of the same strange white light and pouring it into Zero's body. Much of the injuries from the battle and the subsequent plunge seemingly evaporated, though the damage to Zero's armor remained. The helmet, damaged to the point of being nearly useless, fell off his head and plummeted to the ground, too broken to hold on, and fell somewhere out of sight.

"I'm not a Cyber Elf, but… you're not getting off the hook that easily… brave fool." the stranger said before darting off with a sudden burst of speed, carrying the unconscious Zero like a sack of potatoes. "Come on. She is waiting for you."

On the way to its destination, the stranger caught a glimpse of an unmistakable figure, petite, elegant, clad in a pink coat and with big blue eyes framed by a soft face, crowned by long golden hair. Turning away from her tearful expression and suppressing a shudder, it flew on.

Evading the sight of any Resistance patrols, as well as security systems that had been mostly designed with synthetic intruders and large war machines in mind, the winged figure reached one of the Resistance base's metallic blast doors.

The stranger put Zero down, setting him with his back against the door frame as if merely taking a nap, then sighed, taking a long look at him.

"Thank you for doing what I could not." the figure said, rather solemnly, staring at the unconscious legend slowly beginning to stir. "I know the future of this world is safe in your hands. The rest, I leave to you."

With that, the figure turned. It raised its gloved right hand and conjured a sphere of white light, which burst with a flash much like a flare. Knowing it would get the intended attention, it quickly took off before anyone else arrived.

Startled by the flash of light, clearly visible despite the distance, Ciel momentarily forgot her tears and ran towards its point of origin, not knowing what to expect. The thought of an attack at such a time seemed ludicrous, but after the hardship and sorrow she had endured, not to mention the latest bout of absolute horror at the possible loss of someone she had grown to care for so deeply, she wondered how long it might take for her to learn to be truly at ease.

She saw the gathered Resistance fighters in their typical green uniforms. She saw little Alouette, seemingly excited about something. Then she saw the source of the commotion and that was all she could see in front of her. She gasped and, with a sudden burst of speed that surprised everyone around her, threw her arms around the dazed hero's neck, finally jolting him awake.

"Uh..." he managed to say, exhausted and rather groggy. "What did I miss?"

"Welcome home..." she replied, not letting go.

It was finally over. It was finally beginning.

* * *

Chapter 1 – Clear Sky

The awakening of Ragnarok and the obliteration of Neo Arcadia had left the Resistance shocked, but its members had been quick to mobilize, thanks in no small part to Ciel's decisive leadership and Zero's presence on the front lines. The evacuation, however, had not been as thorough as they had hoped, in large part due to stubborn holdouts and Weil's selfish obsession with keeping the remnants of humanity confined to his domain. The evacuation had been a difficult affair, pitting Resistance soldiers and civilians against loyalists and most of all the Pantheon troops, but it had managed to save a considerable number of lives.

Three days after final battle against Weil and Zero's seemingly miraculous return, with the heat of battle gone and the first tentative signs of something resembling true peace settled in, the realization of everything that had happened – and the crushing exhaustion – finally sank in, leaving the survivors in a temporary state of lethargy. Neo Arcadia, the self-proclaimed last bastion of humanity, was gone, reduced to a smoldering crater. Between the dictatorship headed by Copy X and then by Weil and the final destruction, the true extent of the combined loss of life, both organic and synthetic, might never be known.

In the Resistance base's briefing room, Ciel convened with her closest friends and advisors. Zero had respectfully bowed out of it, not seeing himself as a leader in any capacity.

"Well..." she said as she sat at the head of the table at the insistence of others. "We won, but it doesn't exactly feel like a victory, does it?"

"As much as we hated Neo Arcadia's way of doing things..." Chief Engineer Cerveau conceded, scratching his bearded chin. "This was not how we would have hoped things to end."

"Indeed..." a young female officer said, clad in the standard green uniform and hiding her short brown hair under a green beret, eyeing the other attendants with sharp green eyes. A blue name plate on her lapel identified her as Captain Aurelia.

"So..." the ever faithful Captain Colbor intervened, clad in an identical uniform and with his ever present white goggles with translucent blue lenses resting on his forehead while his beret was lying on the meeting table. "Where do we go from here?"

"It would seem that the Resistance has served its purpose." another female officer with a name plate identifying her as Astra said, absently running a gloved hand over the long red braid tied around her neck. It was clear from the dark circles around her brown eyes and the slightly disheveled state of her uniform that she had not been getting much sleep.

"So… what do you propose?" the gruff looking Milan asked, also in uniform and with goggles identical to Colbor's, but keeping his on for some reason despite being indoors.

"It's time for a new beginning." Ciel concluded. "And we already know where to enact it. Area Zero is already thriving, slowly but surely. From there, we can build our own future free from the shadow of tyranny."

"I thought you'd say that much." Cerveau said with a smile. "I think I speak for all of us when I say we were getting tired of relocating every few months, always worried about the next attack. Things may not have ended as we'd hoped, but now at least we have a future to think about."

"We should consider more goodwill efforts like the ones Ciel organized in the past." Aurelia chimed in. "Finding other communities of survivors out there, convincing them to join us or at least building good relations with them. We need to know just how many people are still alive out there and how we can start putting the world back together."

"Agreed." Ciel said with a nod. "But before we do anything else, I think we owe ourselves a brief moment of rest and remembrance… to put the ghosts of our recent past to rest and give everyone here some closure."

"We will take care of organizing the preparations." Cerveau said. "Can I ask you to deliver some sort of speech though? Everyone here looks up to you. We would never have reached this point without your leadership."

"You give me far too much credit." Ciel said, lowering her gaze. "But I will do what I can. Do we have any other topics to discuss for now?"

"Just one." Aurelia intervened. "What are we to do if we run into… them?"

Ciel frowned.

"In the event that they do show up, let's keep the standing orders. Do not provoke them, but ask them to come speak to me."

She then looked around once more and in the absence of another intervention stood up.

"Meeting adjourned then. Thank you all for coming."

As she stepped outside, she was slightly surprised to find Zero leaning against the wall next to the door, as if waiting for her, wearing his black body glove with the armor components completely stripped out.

"So what now?" he asked matter-of-factly.

"Now..." she replied pensively. "We help people put their lives back together. Of course we may end up just disbanding the Resistance a bit further down the line."

She then stared at him intently for a moment, before hesitantly voicing a concern that had been lurking in her mind.

"And what are you going to do, Zero?"

"I… have absolutely no idea." he conceded with a pensive frown.

Truth be told, despite a good portion of his memories resurfacing during the course of the new conflict, there was still much he could not recall. Finding himself truly idle for the first time since his awakening, he couldn't help feeling somewhat lost.

"I will say this much though." he added, suddenly straightening up and looking straight into her eyes. "I have no idea how long this peace of yours will last, but as long as I'm around, anyone who tries to make a mess of things will have a very bad time. I owe that much to the people who helped me get where I am now, even if their names and faces are still a blur."

A strange feeling took hold of Ciel as she heard those words, much like butterflies in her stomach.

"D-Does that mean… you'll be staying with us?" she hesitantly asked.

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go." he said with a shrug. "The thought of rusting away somewhere after surviving all this just doesn't appeal to me. Besides… you could say I'm somewhat excited to see where things are headed."

Having overheard their conversation, Alouette rushed in, seemingly out of nowhere, for once not carrying her stuffed doll. Before either Ciel or Zero could say anything, she latched onto him with a beaming smile, staring at him with her big blue eyes.

A few days passed, without any further incidents, and while it was too soon for the weary survivors to allow themselves to fully relax, it was plain to all that the general mood in the Area Zero settlement was changing. Allowing the others a share of respite, Zero took it upon himself to patrol the outskirts of the settlement, swapping his usual red battle suit for a green Resistance uniform. He had been rather surprised to see just how much abuse it had taken, and couldn't help silently lamenting the loss of the helmet, but a small part of him hoped that he would not need either of them, at least for a while.

Zero let his mind wander as his booted feet strode across the earth and grass. There was a time when, still suffering from near total memory loss, he'd feared that the rest of the world would be just more rock, metal and buried ruins. While he was still far from recalling everything about his past, a feeling in his gut told him that it had been fraught with strife and peril.

"_So..." _he thought. _"What am I going to do with myself now?"_

Though memories of his past with X were still considerably fragmented, he could recall some details. A partnership, a friendship, a sense of kinship. Many battles fought together. Much hardship endured. In the middle of all that, a hint of sorrow.

"_Without X around, I'll have to find the answers on my own." _he mused.

With a sigh, he continued on his patrol until he saw a large red form approaching along the dirt road leading to the settlement, kicking up a considerable amount of dust. His combative instincts surfaced briefly as he approached to investigate, but as he spotted the large towering form of an old refurbished truck, he realized he had no reason to worry.

The large vehicle, carrying a dozen or so people in the back, came to a screeching halt and the driver lowered the glass window, revealing a pair of blue eyes belonging to a woman with ruffled red hair reaching just a slightly above the shoulder, wearing a familiar sleeveless yellow vest from what he could tell.

"Hey there soldier." she teased. "I didn't know you looked that good in uniform."

"To be fair, neither did I." he replied with a shrug. "What have you been up to Neige?"

"Just spreading the word, as a reporter should." she said with pride. "The other Resistance outposts may have already heard the news, but there are still isolated settlements here and there. Cerveau and the others asked me to let everyone know and get as many people as possible here for the ceremony."

"I guess I'm not the only one who doesn't know how to stay idle then." Zero remarked. "I imagine you'll have your work cut out for you in these changing times."

"Definitely." Neige said with a grin. "The first order of business is to get things rolling again. A journalist needs a way to communicate."

"A bit difficult the way things are now." Zero said. "Unless you're planning to change your methods."

"Traditional press is off the table, at least for now." Neige said with a nod. "I doubt many outposts would have as much as a TV, let alone a working one. So for now, I'm going back a few more centuries."

"That makes sense. A radio transmitter would reach far and receivers would be much easier to assemble."

"Exactly!" Neige said with a beaming smile, relishing the challenge. "Well then, I have to get these folks settled in. I hope you'll give me an interview once I get things running."

And with that, she started the engine again and continued on her way. As he watched her go, despite his pensive state, Zero couldn't help but smile. One thing he definitely remembered despite the long sleep and the gaps in his memory was how resilient the human spirit could be.

The next day, as every vehicle capable of moving over land or air converged on the crater that used to be Neo Arcadia, carrying people from every settlement and Resistance outpost in range, a nervous Ciel fidgeted with her fingers as she cast one last glance at the notes she had prepared, which were set on a plain metal table with a rock holding in place just in case there was a sudden gust of wind. Instead of her usual pink sleeveless vest, she was instead wearing an old labcoat a couple of sizes too big, with the sleeves folded to keep them from getting in the way.

Noticing how nervous she looked, Zero, standing next to her in a repaired suit of armor with a replacement helmet, patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Not very keen on a public speech?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, slightly flustered as the crowd began to gather.

"You managed to rally others to your side, put the entire Resistance together, stand up to a tyrant and solve an energy crisis." Zero pointed out. "The worst is over. Just remember, deep breaths."

She tried to follow his advice, but there was something about his touch on her shoulder that made her more nervous, for a different reason.

"So… I have to ask." Zero added. "What's with the labcoat anyway?"

"My mother's." Ciel said with a sad smile. "I don't know where she is or what happened to her, but I hope to see her again someday."

"Come to think of it, you never said much about your family." Zero realized.

"_Could they have still been in the city when..."_ he thought, with a sudden sinking feeling in his stomach.

"A story for another time." she said with a sigh.

As she straightened herself and cleared her throat, Zero caught a glimpse of another side of her. In private, she had often shown her sensitivity and kindness. However, with everyone's eyes on her, he also saw her quiet determination and strength, not so different from those of an old friend.

She took hold of the microphone set on the table and tapped it lightly with her finger to test the calibrations. Satisfied, she grabbed her notes and began. By this point, what seemed like a few hundred people at a cursory glance had already assembled.

"Thank you all for coming." she started. "We have just survived a tremendous ordeal and overcome another challenge on the way to rebuilding our world. For too long we lived in a constant struggle against the ambitions of mad tyrants bent on denying our right to exist. Now that their ambitions have been crushed, we are embarking on yet another challenge."

She then swept her right arm, motioning at the crater in the background.

"Neo Arcadia started out with noble intentions, but in the end became an example of what happens when we let fear and hubris rule our lives. For too long did those living inside remain silent to the atrocities being committed in their name as long as they kept their comfortable lifestyle. I would know, as I once called this place home as well."

She then lowered her head.

"Many terrible acts have taken place here and across the surrounding lands. We cannot turn back the clock and undo what has already been done. We can, however, learn from it. We can do better. We can be better. We must, if we are to have a future. Starting now."

Watching from the front row, Cerveau winced, knowing the guilt Ciel still struggled with for her role in the tragedy. While unable to find the right words at such a time, the Chief Engineer hoped that she would one day manage to overcome that part of the past as well.

"Organic. Synthetic." she added. "It is irrelevant. Despite everything that happened here, when the end seemed at hand, both joined forces to save as many lives as we could. While I have no right to lead, or to ask this of you, I implore all of you to keep that spirit alive. Hold it close to your hearts, for we need unity now just as we did back then. Together, we will heal the wounds of this world and build a new tomorrow."

Ciel was not prepared for what happened next. Seeing her breathless embarrassment, Zero and Cerveau took the lead, applauding with conviction, followed by the rest of the Resistance and the civilians who had taken shelter with them. Soon, she found even her thoughts drowned in loud cheering.

"_Be proud." _Zero thought with a smile. _"People like me exist so people like you can do their work. They may remember me as a destroyer, but when all's said and done they'll remember you as something else entirely."_

* * *

Out of sight, three armored figures watched.

"And so it begins anew..." Harpuia mused, glad in his green and white suit with a winged helmet.

"I guess that settles it then..." Fefnir added, his red outfit glistening in the sun.

"And with that out of the way…" Leviathan added. "I think it's time for us to make our exit."

"This world no longer has any need of us." Harpuia said, somewhat downcast.

"You know Ciel would probably ask us to stay if she knew how to find us." Fefnir said.

"But we cannot." Leviathan said, shaking her head. "Not after all we were complicit in. No matter how badly I want to get down there... we have no place here."

"So what now?" Fefnir asked.

* * *

Elsewhere…

"You can't be serious."

"You know me well enough to be certain that I do not make jokes. You are still needed."

"Am I? Look around you. Look at what happened to the world. First because I was powerless to stop it and then because people didn't want to move forward after I'd held their hand for so long. No. Let me be forgotten. They will be better for it."

"And what about your old friend? After all you have faced together over the centuries, you would simply leave without even giving him a proper farewell? Let him clean up after you on his own?"

"..."

"I did not know you to be such a coward… Master."

"Damnit Phantom..."

"Now that is more like the legend I-"

"Stop it. I hate being called that."

"And so are you just going to let yourself sputter and fade?"

"You do have a point. But I'm still not taking your energy."

"Then I suggest you pull yourself together. You know you have the means to do so. But do you have the will?"

"I definitely don't recall you being this argumentative."

"For better or for worse, I was based on your design."


	2. Remembrance

Chapter 2 – Remembrance

After the crowds finally dispersed, leaving Ciel alone with her thoughts while the others packed the table and the sound equipment, she stared into the gaping abyss, from which faint traces of residual heat still emanated in the wake of the monumental energy blast. She had no idea how deep the beam had hit, but she could not see the bottom. She could, however, see the melted metal remains from the city's fortifications, which had solidified into new, arbitrary shapes as it seeped into the ground. The rest seemed to have been vaporized or collapsed into the crater.

Finally having a spare moment to sort her thoughts, she sighed, recalling the tall buildings and the bustling streets before the city's descent into a totalitarian fever dream. While she hated what Neo Arcadia had become in its final years, which had prompted her to eventually leave and oppose its rulers, this was definitely not how she had thought it would end.

She knew how events had reached this point, and who was directly responsible. Copy X for twisting her vision, Weil for taking advantage of the situation for the sake of his own ego and lust for power. Then there was Craft, the strange Reploid who had actually pulled the trigger. Ciel knew very well that the regime the former two had created had been responsible for countless crimes against Reploids and eventually humans as well, but she could not fathom what could have driven him to such a disproportionate act of retribution.

With events still fresh in her memory, she could not help hating the three for their crimes. Though gentle by nature, there was a hint of steel in her gaze as she glared into the distance.

"You stole our future..." she hissed accusingly. "I'll just have to create a new one with my own hands."

Still, alone with her thoughts and with the abyss in front of her, she knew there was someone else she was mad at.

"_I really messed up..." _she silently lamented. _"If I hadn't created that abomination, none of this would have happened. How many people have sacrificed themselves to help me correct my mistake? How many innocents have suffered? But… even if it takes me a hundred years, I will make things right."_

So caught up was she in her thoughts that she did not notice the red clad figure edging towards her with a frown. Watching her state, Zero sighed.

"_I'm no good with this stuff." _he thought. _"But I just can't stay quiet."_

He cleared his throat rather loudly, startling her out of her inner monologue.

"There you are." he said flatly. "I know that look. You're beating yourself up again, aren't you?"

"H-How did you…?" she stuttered, not bothering to deny it.

"I may not have all the answers… and my memory may still have more gaps than Elpizo's head, but I've been around you long enough to recognize that mood."

The mention of the former commander made her wince. In her mind, that was another failure.

"_I'm the one who appointed him after all." _she thought bitterly. _"I should have seen the warning signs. I should have known he wasn't ready."_

"Tell me then." she retorted, her eyes turning moist. "Am I wrong?"

"Damned right you are." Zero said rather bluntly. "I don't know what exactly happened between you and that fake before you woke me up, but what he became and what he did were his choice. Elpizo wasn't ready for the responsibility but instead of asking for help he just went crazy and became as dangerous as the copy. Weil was always a monster. As for Craft… while my memory is what it is, there were Reploids like him back in my day too. He could have found another way but had no interest in that. Yes, you may have made some errors in judgement, but you can't hold yourself responsible for other people's choices."

"I suppose so..." Ciel conceded. "But that doesn't make it any easier."

"Then take that pain and do something constructive with it." Zero said. "Even now, you have people standing by you, looking up to you… counting on you."

Ciel perked up slightly at those words, not simply due to the words themselves but who they were coming from.

"And what about you?" she asked pointedly. "Why do you have so much faith in me?"

"Because I've seen what you can do when you put your mind to it." he said, looking straight at her. "Because you've got a sharp mind and the guts to go with it. You're not a Reploid. You could have stayed in the command room and let others do your work for you. But you didn't. Even after losing your escort, you charged in and didn't stop until you found me. You went into orbit with me knowing the dangers because it was something you just had to do."

"I only did what was needed." she said dismissively. "Besides, I was sick of letting you go in alone. How many missions did you finish all by yourself with no backup of any kind? How many battles did you fight while I sat there watching through a screen? I didn't know what exactly you were capable of when I found you, but it's not like I did that much."

"Wrong again." Zero countered. "Where do I even start? My fighting instincts may have always been there, but you helped me get my amnesiac ass sorted after we got out of that buried lab. You acted in your people's best interests, even if you made some bad choices. You wanted to believe people. You created five of the most complex Reploids of this age and developed a new power source, all by yourself. How many people do you think could do all that at your age, plus organize something this big?"

Zero sighed and hesitantly patted her head.

"Look, I'm not very good at pep talks, but when even the so-called legends give you honest praise, you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. I may not know what I'm talking about half the time, but X does and he's never had a single bad word to say about you."

Once again the butterflies in her stomach returned, and she struggled to maintain her composure. Still, she focused on his words and was able to find a measure of tranquility, at least for the time being.

"Well then..." she said after a while, finally showing the hint of a smile. "Thank you for your assessment. Since you're here, maybe you can help me with one last thing before we go back."

And with that, she reached for the backpack that had been absently lying at her feet and opened it, producing a very large floral arrangement that seemed to struggle to fit in.

"What are those for?" Zero asked.

"Just a little token for the lost." she said. "I know I could have placed it right after the speech, but it didn't feel right. This is something I wanted to do more privately."

Once again Zero's respect for the petite scientist grew. She could have easily used that sentimentality for some easy applause from the crowd, but her decision once again reinforced his feeling that his choices had been correct as far as she was concerned.

"Well then..." he said with a slight smile. "How could I refuse?"

Truth be told, there were not many distinctive spots around the edge of the crater, and he would not allow her to wander too close to the edge. After a few minutes walking around in silence, they finally ended up stopping at the spot they had started at.

"One day, when all of this is behind us, I hope to be able to come back and give this graveyard a proper monument." Ciel said rather solemnly as she laid the flowers down. "But for now, this will have to do."

"Ready to start forgiving yourself and get back to leading your people then?" Zero asked, his smile widening.

"One day at a time. At least for now."

And with that, she gave him a surprise hug, catching him off guard.

"W-What was that for?" he asked, unsure how to react.

"For talking some sense into me." she replied before starting the trek back with a slight spring in her step.

"_She's far too young to be carrying so many burdens." _he thought with a sigh.

Regardless, there was something rather familiar about the situation, though he could not put his finger on it. Silently cursing the gaps in his memory, he picked up the backpack she had forgotten on the ground and followed her to the old helicopter waiting for them.

* * *

That night, Zero's sleep was restless. For some time, he had been using a modest single room metal shack in the human settlement as his quarters, resting there between missions or retreating inside when he needed some time alone. The fact that it was right next to the small house Ciel had built up for herself and Alouette also allowed him to act as a guard of sorts, though things had been so quiet since the destruction of Ragnarok he had been struggling to adjust to the new reality.

With a grunt of annoyance, he opened his eyes, startled awake by some sort of nightmare he could not recall.

As he looked around, faint memories danced across the surface of his consciousness. Dormitories, crowds, a base in a time and place long forgotten, bustling with activity as figures both in suits of armor and uniforms scurried about, though he could not recall their faces. Then, just like that, the image faded from his mind's eye.

Knowing it would take some time until he found himself able to sleep again, he lifted the sheets and stepped outside, clad in his black body glove, taking in the night air as he paced around the settlement. Here and there, lights were still on in the windows of some of the houses.

He paused for a moment as he recalled how the Resistance had set up the small village using scavenged material, first clearing the terrain from debris, then using scavenged materials from old structures and vehicles to set up the basic structures. Helping with that had been a novel experience for him, at least in his state, and, much to his surprise, he had discovered in himself a hidden talent for it.

"_Maybe I could get used to this..." _he thought. _"But why do I get the feeling I'm forgetting something important?"_

He walked around some more, going past the window of Ciel's room. The polished metal structure had been the easy part to assemble, but the tempered glass had required some more work. Without access to Neo Arcadia's production facilities, the Resistance had been forced to get creative. It would take some time until the survivors were able to produce certain materials in large quantities, but he knew Cerveau already had some ideas on how to tackle that challenge.

It came as no surprise to him at all to spot Ciel asleep at her desk with her head resting on its surface, seemingly having dozed off while going through some papers. As he watched her peaceful expression, a strange sensation churned in his chest and he was unable to pry his gaze away.

"_I may be a bit on the damaged side, and not quite right in the head..._" he thought. _"But you gave even this dusty relic something to believe in."_

After a time, he finally moved on, though the restlessness would still take some time to abate. It was not the first time this had happened in the quiet days between battles. Though he was an exceedingly competent fighter, even in his diminished state, he would often struggle to figure out what to do with himself the rest of the time. This had been one of the reasons for his temporary parting of ways after the first battle against Copy X. He had hoped that walking the earth might help him find some answers. This excursion had been cut short by the shift in the war, but he realized that he had, at least for the time being, found the place he belonged in. The memories were still trickling in, frustratingly slowly.

He could not know for certain what X's intentions had been when he'd left him to his own devices after Ragnarok, but he couldn't help feeling somewhat frustrated at his silence.

"_Maybe you wanted me to have a fresh start… but I still have too many questions. It was a dick move on your part to run off without asking what I thought."_

* * *

Elsewhere…

"Are you truly so thoroughly spent that you thought the best thing to do was find a place to crawl off to and fade away?"

"You may have spent some time in incorporeal form, but between the strain of spending centuries keeping the Dark Elf sealed, the drain from projecting myself in the material world time and again and then having my body destroyed..."

"Most of that took place before my time, but did it never occur to you to ask for help? To have a backup?"

"Before Ciel came along, I did not even think anyone might be capable of truly replicating my construction. My father's designs baffled scientists for centuries. They couldn't even fully analyze my systems."

"Personal bias aside, yes, she is exceedingly good at what she does. But why did you not reach out to her sooner?"

"You overestimate my strength. The so-called legend has really been blown out of proportion so I can't blame you for that. The thing is, keeping that terrible power sealed was a near constant drain on my strength. What I could do in that state was limited. By the end of it, I was spent."

"So does that mean that I too will eventually fade away without a body?"

"You did not burn so much of yourself over such an extensive period. Though I must say, destroying your body in such a pointless fashion was..."

"Yes, it was stupid. You do not need to hold back. I reached that conclusion long ago. All four of us were suffering from a case of obsessive stupidity."

"True… What you did back then went completely against everything I believed in. But this is neither the time nor the place to be having this conversation."

"You were an inspiration to the four of us. An ideal to aspire to. We did not simply bring shame upon ourselves with our blind obedience. We... tarnished your legacy as well."

"You're definitely more verbose than usual. I do wish you had done some more actual talking back in the day. It might have saved us all considerable headaches."

"I've had… plenty of time to think. Again, you are correct. I make no excuses."

"Then I hope you've had time to think about what you're going to do once you get back to your siblings."

"Master…?"

"You did not think I would agree with this merely for my own benefit, did you?"

"Why?"

"Because you still have time to find a new purpose. The others have... And I thought I'd told you to stop calling me that."

"I really was a fool. The difference between you and him is like night and day. I wanted to believe so badly..."


	3. The Seeds

Chapter 3 – The Seeds

"Thankfully the environmental damage in this region during the last cataclysm has healed almost completely." Ciel said as she overlooked a field nar the settlement.

"That was one of the reasons why we picked this spot after all." Cerveau said. "We'll just have to be careful not to repeat the mistakes of the past. Even before the wars and the cataclysms… some of our predecessors were not exactly kind to nature."

"I don't want to start getting paranoid and controlling..." Ciel said with a sigh. "But it's inevitable that this place will grow over time. We're going to have to plan this very carefully."

"Honestly, I think that's one of the reasons why people followed you." the Chief Engineer said with a smile. "The way you are. Strong and determined, but still gentle. You get even an old coot like me excited about the future."

"You're not that old." she retorted with a shrug. "But that reminds me… I haven't seen old Andrew in a while."

"Well..." Cerveau explained with a fond smile. "Once he heard what we were up to, he got all excited and ran off muttering something about seeds."

They heard a rustle behind them and turned around just in time to see the old Reploid, still with his shaved head and long white beard, carrying a ludicrous amount of tools in a bundle on his back and a large sack in his right hand. Instead of his usual green tunic, he was wearing an old pair of blue trousers and long green rubber boots, as well as a buttoned white shirt. Once, Ciel knew, he had been a baker. Now he looked more like an old time farmer.

"I'm glad I was able to catch you, Miss Ciel." he said with a glimmer in his tired blue eyes that she had never seen before.

"Wha…?" she muttered. Though she knew the old man was a Reploid, the contrast between his appearance and the load he was carrying was still baffling.

"I've been saving these ever since you came along and gave us hope." Andrew said, holding his head high. "The tools, I mean. I've been carrying the seeds since my wife's passing as a reminder of happier days. Now that we finally know peace again… the young ones will taste my work once more."

"Well then." Ciel said, feeling his enthusiasm spreading to her. "In that case we'll have to do our very best to make the most of them."

Overhearing everything from a distance, Zero couldn't help smiling.

"_See what you're doing?"_ he thought. _"The effect you have on people? Even I can see that."_

Even in his diminished state, he took pride in the fact that he still had an eye for certain things.

Over the next couple of days, Ciel and Cerveau drafted the plans for an irrigation system and the general layout of what would one day be farmland. There was no shortage of volunteers to start the physical work, but there were still some details to sort out before they could begin in earnest.

"Once the work starts..." Zero said to her one morning. "I want to be there."

"Then we'll be more than glad to have you." Ciel replied, again showing a beaming smile, bright enough to give him pause.

Nearby, Alouette's gaze darted between the two as she watched the exchange with a glimmer in her big blue eyes. She let out a low chuckle and then went back to what she was doing, stuffing an old burlap sack with old shredded synthetic fibers that were too damaged to be of much use while other children were tying a long wooden stick to a shorter one, trying to hold the shorter in a perpendicular position.

* * *

The excitement permeating the settlement had also spread to Zero, though he kept it hidden behind a stoic facade most of the time. As the days went by, he realized, he was becoming increasingly fond of doing something constructive with his hands. More disjointed memories had emerged during his dreams, and he was still struggling to process them, but for the time being he felt a strange sense of contentment that he was not quite used to.

"_I could definitely get used to this..."_ he thought a couple of hours later, allowing himself a rare smile as he watched the others gather for lunch.

The fact that most Reploids could subsist on energy crystals alone was not lost on him, though at this point in time they were advanced enough to taste and process the same food as humans. The crystals were simply much more efficient as they could be absorbed directly upon consumption. Zero himself was an oddity, in that his internal reactor seemed to run on a strange, likely one of a kind and seemingly inexhaustible energy source that defied most attempts at analyzing it. Ciel herself had tried at one point and found it strangely similar to her previous work, but did not elaborate on it.

Though he had no physical need for food or energy crystals, he still found himself drawn closer by the smell of some sort of stew broiling in a large cauldron under Cerveau's watchful eye as it sat over a fire at the center of a bare patch of dirt.

In the recent past, the energy crystal shortage had resulted in new tensions between organic and synthetic life forms… and ultimately paved the way for Copy X's descent into madness and the persecution of Reploids, culminating in the current state of affairs. Ciel's new energy production system had rendered the whole thing moot, but seeing humans and Reploids sitting together in such a manner was a reassuring sight. The Resistance had, at its core, accepted both equally from the start due to having been formed to oppose the monstrous actions being carried in humanity's name. Unfortunately, Ragnarok had robbed Ciel and the others of the opportunity to change the minds of everyone inside the city, but the grateful survivors would not forget the experience of being betrayed by their own rulers and saved by those they had labeled their enemies.

"I didn't know you could cook." Zero remarked with a hint of amusement at the sight of the Resistance's Chief Engineer wearing an apron and a chef's hat that he had dug up somewhere.

"To be fair, up until recently, I didn't know you could smile." Cerveau quipped. "Are you going to stand there staring or are you going to join us? We saved you a seat."

This too caught Zero by surprise. The Chief Engineer had always seemed like a reserved type, even if not to his own extent, but without the constant threat of an imminent attack and the associated tension he was definitely showing a different side of himself.

"Come on!" Alouette said excitedly as she grabbed Zero's hand and tugged at it. "I helped make it and I want to hear what you think."

"Well, how can I refuse after hearing that?" he conceded, letting her lead him to the folding metal table that a couple of other familiar faces had just finished setting.

The vegetable stew was rich and filling, its smell and taste easing everyone into a state of contented relaxation as they ate it from metal bowls with spoons. Zero also noticed plenty of new faces which he did not recognize. It seemed that some of the survivors of Neo Arcadia had completely swallowed their pride and joined the growing settlement. Others, probably either due to the shock of losing their homes or the shame over what they had been a part of, were still keeping their distance, settling in the outskirts or moving elsewhere, but for the time being the enormity of what had happened was leaving them in a somewhat dazed state.

Zero could faintly recall how, in another time and place, he had seen humans resenting Reploids and fearing them for their capabilities, eventually resorting to violence and nearly tearing the world apart. Banishing the faint mental image of a sneering bald figure that was creeping up at the edge of his memory, he turned his gaze to the group, before helping himself to another portion of the stew.

Sitting to his right, Ciel watched him through the corner of her eye, before eventually abandoning all pretense and turning her head fully.

"So?" she asked. "What do you think?"

"Maybe it's the fact that I don't remember the taste of food and haven't eaten anything for hundreds of years..." Zero mused, taking the time to savor the latest spoonful before letting it slide down. "But right now this tastes like the best thing in the world."

In the edge of his consciousness, he felt another hint of an old memory. Another time, another place, under the same sky, with different company, but doing something similar, something wonderfully mundane. While his fighting prowess had certainly returned, and in some ways had reached new heights, the rest of his memories were proving slower to awaken, more capricious.

* * *

The rest of the day, he helped Andrew with plowing the fields and then helped Ciel search for components for the future irrigation system amidst the remains of one of the invasion forces that had once attempted to invade the settlement not long before Ragnarok. Most of these pockets of debris had already been picked clean but they came upon a fortuitous find – the remains of an attack helicopter, still mostly intact apart from a broken tail. As he made his way inside, Zero realized that the power generator was still intact.

"Nice find." Ciel said with a smile as she followed him.

Though her energy production system was exceedingly efficient, it would take time to assemble new reactors or modify existing ones. An intact power generator was a great boon in such circumstances, especially seeing how they had a growing settlement to tend to.

"What do you think?" he asked. "If we strip all of this down, I think we can get the irrigation system up and running as soon as we get the pipes to the river.

"Yes..." Ciel said with a nod. "But we definitely should give the construction of a water reservoir some thought sooner rather than later."

"Already thinking about the next thing then." he remarked. "Just as I expected. I guess I'm not the only one who has trouble staying still."

"I guess so. Well then, let's signal the others and get this hauled back, shall we?"

* * *

That night, more of Zero's memories surfaced. At first, he caught what seemed like glimpses of his first battle with the corrupted Mother Elf. He watched her thrash blindly with fiery dark energy tendrils, howling as if in tremendous pain.

"I see you're still fighting it..." he heard himself say as he dodged the onslaught, charging in with his Z-Saber raised. "For all it's worth, I'm sorry. I wish we had more time..."

The scene abruptly changed and he found himself lying on a metal slab, his sight unusually blurry, even more than the usual for these dreams.

"So…" he heard himself say. "How bad is it?"

"Very." a woman's voice replied, soft and gentle.

Though the image was too blurry, there was something intensely familiar about the figure. She seemed to be wearing a typical white labcoat, half open over some sort of pink garment, while a long golden mane rivaling his own ran down her back. He struggled to focus, to glimpse something else, but to no avail.

Zero saw himself raise a hand, only for his entire view to flash red.

"Gah!" he heard himself cry out in frustration. "Another of the old man's so-called gifts..."

"I'm afraid so..." the woman said with a sad sigh. "I have one solution that might work, but… you're not going to like it."

"I guess I just can't catch a break, can I?" Zero heard himself quip, trying to use sarcasm to mask his inner turmoil.

The scene shifted again, and Zero found himself lying inside some sort of metal capsule with the lid open. The same woman was standing over him, looking down at his face, but he still could not see the rest of her features.

"I hope that at least you'll awaken in more peaceful times..." the woman said, unable to conceal her sadness. "Regardless, I promise you this much. You will be remembered. No matter how many years I live, I'll make sure the world remembers your name, your deeds and your choices."

"Oh come on..." he heard himself say, trying to sound cheerful. "If this goes belly up, I don't want your crying face to be the last thing I see. Can't you show me that smile again one last time?"

"I know what you're trying to do." the woman replied, though she was able to crack a smile, which did break through the haze. "But I'll indulge you. I'll be brave for your sake."

He then felt a soft touch on his cheek.

"Give the future my regards." she said. "Give it the same hope you gave us. I only wish… I'd had more time to know you."

For a fraction of an instant, he could almost see her face… but then he awakened with a gasp.

"What the hell was that?" he muttered to himself, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

Silently, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. There was something about that last scene that made him feel a definite sadness, a sense of loss and confusion, but another thought took over eventually.

"_Why did that person remind me of Ciel so much?" _he pondered in confused silence.

* * *

Elsewhere…

"You are certainly taking your time."

"Don't rush me. I spent centuries sitting in a chair… AFTER spending centuries in a capsule. If I want to take the scenic route, then I will."

"Are you not worried about running out of energy and fading away before reaching your destination?"

"Zero isn't the only one too stubborn to drop dead. I guess I just needed someone to talk some sense into me. Normally that would fall to him, but..."

"Are you absolutely certain that you want me to accompany you all the way? Given our history, I am not sure what to say to them."

"I suppose you could begin with hello."


	4. Soul Searching

Chapter 4 – Soul Searching

Another morning came, with the promise of more new beginnings, but while most were turning their gazes to the future, the hero of the Resistance was trying to focus on the past. His past.

Zero knew that his original body had been lost to the Maverick Virus, eventually becoming the monster known as Omega. He knew that the incident had been at least partially instigated by Weil, given how easily he had been able to control the abomination. Neither of them were in any condition to answer the questions biting at the back of his mind, and the only one who might remotely be able to help him in the immediate future was gone, possibly for good.

_"All this technology… and nobody thought to make a damn memory backup?" _he thought with considerable annoyance. "_Or was it on purpose?"_

He struggled to focus, and found his thoughts drifting to a particular subject. Ciel. Her formidable intellect and resolute presence were definitely remarkable. She also had her fair share of endearing traits, especially the eyes brimming with curiosity, as well as the soft voice and warm smile that he had come to know, but they were not the only reasons why he had chosen to stay even after what seemed like a final, if painful victory. Examining his actions since the moment of his awakening, he mentally retraced his steps.

Upon seeing her for the first time, he had reacted out of instinct, gunning down the mindless killing machines bearing down on a helpless girl. As time went on, he had come to know her other qualities, in particular her kindness and her talent for leadership, as well as her concern for the future of all.

He had watched, with a silent rage building up inside him as first the faker tarnished the legacy of his barely remembered friend and brought Ciel's dream to the brink of ruin.

He had seen her repeatedly show great courage in the face of adversity and stand up to far more powerful opposition. With the memories slowly tricking back in fragmented pieces, the whole affair had felt increasingly familiar, as if he were witnessing something that had happened before.

Then his thoughts turned to the woman in his dream, whose face he could not recall, but whose smile and voice felt hauntingly familiar. He strained his mind to recall anything else of substance, until his head was hurting, but the haze would not yield. He felt there was some significance to that memory and the timing of its surfacing, but much to his frustration he was barely making any progress.

Then, adding to his confusion, another stream of fragmented memories started edging into his consciousness, seemingly older, from a different time and place.

* * *

"What do you think you're doing?!" the short, long nosed old man in a crumpled labcoat shrieked at him, glaring with a mad gleam in his eyes as his head, nearly bald apart from two prominent strands of gray hair jutting out from the sides as his lips curled into a snarl underneath a matching bushy mustache.

"Choosing my own path." Zero heard his own voice say. "I am no one's pawn, especially not yours."

"Insolent fool! Have you forgotten who created you?!"

"Bah!" Zero heard himself counter before grabbing a random piece of lab equipment and hurling it at the old man. The item in question, seemingly an old microscope, went straight through him, crashing against the metal wall in the back.

"You're not even him." Zero heard himself spit, his tone dripping with contempt. "You're just a stupid AI pretending to be a long dead maniac!"

The old man's hologram glared at him with a deranged gleam in his eyes.

"I may not strictly be the original, but I have all his knowledge. The plan will continue with or without your cooperation."

Zero's vision flashed red and the memory of excruciating pain became almost vivid enough to physically feel. He saw his sight falter as he appeared to stumble to the ground.

Standing over him, the old man's hologram sneered.

"You are far from the only insolent creation the great Dr. Wily has had to deal with in his lifetime. Your idiot brother was too willful as well."

The hologram approached with a smug grin, until it stopped in its tracks and its expression shifted into one of pure rage.

"Where is it?!" he snarled. "What have you done with it?!"

"What the hell are you talking about you old bastard?!" Zero heard himself snarl back.

"You fool! Without the other ultimate creation, you are utterly useless!"

"To you, maybe." Zero heard himself growl, jumping back to his feet.

The green blade of his old Z-Saber came into view, slicing wildly across the room and reducing the assorted cabling and electronics lining the surface and the walls. The old man's hologram cast him a glare of pure hatred as it flickered erratically, but he ignored it, continuing his rampage until the emitters producing it were utterly destroyed. He then turned to the enormous mainframe mounted against the back wall of the chamber and sliced it to pieces, pouring out all his pent up rage until he was exhausted.

He paused for a moment, surveying the destruction he had unleashed.

_"That old bastard did get one thing right..." _he recalled thinking with bitter irony. "_I'm rather good at unleashing destruction. But I decide what to unleash it upon. Not Sigma, not the Nightmares, and most definitely not some stupid electronic ghost of a bitter old fart."_

He stepped outside the hidden underground complex just in time to find a concerned looking X standing there, seemingly about to barge in.

"What happened in there?" X asked. "Are you OK?"

"I'll live." Zero heard himself reply. "But this isn't the place to talk about it. Let's get out of here."

* * *

Zero inhaled sharply as the sudden memory faded from his consciousness. They were definitely becoming more intense and emerging not only during his sleep but also during the day. As the momentary disorientation faded, he shook his head to finish clearing his mind and decided to go for another of his walks.

_"What the hell was that?" _he thought. "_Wily… yes… I remember… but what did that fake mean?"_

Even centuries after the facts, the specter of his hateful creator seemingly lingered on, even if only in Zero's memories. Despite everything, he found himself smiling at the irony of how things had turned out. Though he still had much left to recall, a new image in his mind's eye was a source of comfort. A veteran Maverick Hunter, clad in a somewhat bulky red armored suit, with the helmet crowned by a large blue gem… and next to him, a newcomer to the ranks, in a familiar blue suit with a red gem adorning his helmet above the forehead.

"Yes..." he muttered to himself. "I was always pretty good at defying other people's plans for me."

* * *

As he continued on his aimless walk, he eventually found himself a good distance away from the settlement, in front of a large field littered by the occasional rock outcropping. To his surprise, he realized him that even unconsciously his feet had taken him to an increasingly familiar destination.

Pacing around the field, Ciel and Alouette were busy planting what looked like tree saplings at even intervals, with their hands covered in thick gardening gloves. Out of the way, a few metal crates with open lids where the rest of the saplings were stored were set next to a set of metal canisters, each topped by a valve to with an attached hose.

_"It looks like no matter where I go, my path leads me to the same destination." _he silently pondered with a touch of amusement as he watched the two going about their work with a contagious enthusiasm. With a shrug, he decided to join them, and the three spent most of the day dealing with the task, taking a break around lunch time to eat some sandwiches the two girls had packed in a basket.

By the time they finished, the afternoon was drawing to a close.

"Thanks for the help." Alouette said, as she and Ciel smiled at Zero, tired but definitely happy about their progress. For his part, he looked at the two and returned the smile, finding their energy contagious.

_"I've got to be careful around those two." _he thought in amusement. _"__T__hat much concentrated cuteness is dangerous."_

"Well, I have a couple more things to do before heading back." Ciel said, stretching her arms. "Could you take Alouette home?"

"Sure thing." Zero said. "Just don't overdo it."

After dutifully escorting Alouette home… and letting her ride on his back for a portion of the way at her request, Zero left her under the watchful eye of the ever present Rocinolle. With the end of the hostilities, the strongly built nurse was once again showing her talent with children, having moved out of the Resistance base and into the settlement to better help with the challenges ahead.

Zero grabbed a simple burlap bag from the back of his shack and set out once again, with a specific destination in mind. He had seen some interesting things in the wilderness during his usual treks and found the perfect items for a little plan of his own. Knowing Ciel, she would probably be busy for a few more hours, giving him more than enough time.


	5. Old Wounds

Chapter 5 – Old Wounds

Exhausted after a long day of work preparing what would one day become fields and groves, Ciel headed home, enjoyed a long shower with the added benefit of a recently assembled boiler with enough capacity to serve the entirety of the small settlement, then changed into a simple black body glove much like the one Zero normally wore underneath his armor. Mentally taking a note to step up the plans for a permanent facility for the production of synthetic fibers and clothing, she opened the large fridge she had refurbished with old parts months prior and took out a plastic container.

While Alouette, with her usual boundless energy, played outside with some of the other human and Reploid children, Ciel lifted the lid, revealing an assortment of fruits and berries.

"_How did this get here?"_ she silently wondered.

She had been expecting her dinner to be more of the bland rations the Resistance had stockpiled during the conflict, as fresh fruit and vegetables still took some time to obtain and were being distributed first and foremost to families with children. Whoever had left the treat there had apparently also left an unusually shaped leaf inside the box by accident. Examining the leaf, she realized that it belonged to a kind of shrub that, as far as she knew, was not growing in the immediate vicinity.

"_I guess someone __went for a bit of a hike__ to get these for me..."_ she realized._ "How thoughtful. __But who?__"_

After Ragnarok, with the world seemingly returned to a state of peace, people at the settlement had been slowly gaining a renewed optimism, to the point where some of them were even getting a little careless. Zero had already scolded some of them for forgetting to lock their homes on a semi-regular basis, so excited they were to get back to their labors. Ciel, however, still found herself unable to fully relax, often finding solace in her continued work.

After enjoying the taste of fruits and berries she had not seen in months, she stepped out of the kitchen and into her room, to which she had moved as many books, clothes and other items of personal significance as possible. Some of them had remained at the previous Resistance base, and she definitely intended to return to retrieve them or ask the forces still stationed there to send them over, but her head was so filled with ideas for new projects that it had slipped her mind.

The metal bed, assembled with Zero and Cerveau's help from a batch of metal provided by the Chief Engineer's new forge, was surprisingly comfortable, using a layer of foam wrapped in synthetic cloth as a thick, welcoming mattress. The sheets and pillow were also made of similar substances, as organic fabric was still difficult to come by in large quantities. Knowing that Alouette was in good company outside, Ciel got in bed and as soon as her head touched the pillow her tired mind shut down.

* * *

An indeterminate amount of time later, her mind drifted through a haze. A peaceful meadow lay before her, in what looked like a perfect summer day as she fully plunged into dreams. Everything seemed peaceful, like a memory of what the world had once been – and could be again – and, as the grass and bushes swayed in a mild breeze, a profound sense of tranquility washed over her.

Then, the tranquility was shattered as a horrible thrumming echoed through the air and the sky turned red. As the tranquility was shattered, a familiar face appeared out of nowhere, taking up her entire view, looking down at her with glowing red eyes and an unsettling sneer as it raised its bloodstained hands.

"You..." she hissed in a rare display of anger. "Even in my sleep you won't leave me alone!"

"You made me what I am." the figure retorted with a deranged grin. "You created me. Filled my head with stories and ideals. Abandoned me when I displeased you. Whose fault is it really… Mother?"

"Don't you dare call me that ever again!" she retorted. "Nightmare or not, you have no right!"

"If only the rest of the Class of Fifty could see you now..." the nightmarish vision of her greatest mistake taunted her. "Everyone had such high hopes for you."

"Shut up!" she screamed. "This… this wasn't supposed to end this way! Why didn't you listen?!"

"My purpose was the elimination of Mavericks and other sources of chaos. Just like you wanted."

The dreamscape shifted again, and Ciel found herself standing in a familiar place. She was clearly indoors, in what looked like some sort of school. Others, mostly around her age, were standing around in various states of anxiety and terror as they heard a horrible pounding outside. With a chill, she realized exactly where and when her mind had taken her.

"They are coming..." a woman seemingly in her thirties said, her brow furrowed as she struggled to remain calm. "We need to evacuate the building."

"What's going to happen to us?!" a girl close to Ciel's age asked in fright, her features strikingly familiar.

"Professor?" Ciel heard herself ask with a younger, higher pitched voice.

"Follow me." the woman said, clearly struggling to control her fear for the children's sake.

The noises outside grew louder and more frequent, interrupted by what sounded like gunfire. Some of the children screamed as they exited the room into a wide corridor, but other adults emerged from nearby doorways and started helping the first woman usher them along. Ciel tried to keep pace with them as hard as she could, but the pounding in her chest was becoming too much to bear. Her gaze turned towards the metallic floor as she attempted to steady herself.

"Breathe." she heard a boy's voice say softly, as a hand patted her shoulder. She had not heard that voice in a long time, and it felt strange to be recalling it so vividly, even in a dream.

"Why is this happening?" Ciel heard herself ask, on the verge of tears. "Why are they doing this?"

"Because they can." the boy replied, with an intensity beyond his years as he clenched his fists. "Keep up with the others. Don't get left behind. Whatever happens here today, you have to make it out."

He then sighed and gave her a quick hug, before turning and walking away… in the direction the assailants were coming from.

"Wait!" she called out, raising her head in time to see his back, covered by a child sized white labcoat. "What are you doing?!"

"What I can." he replied without turning back. "They will be upon us soon. They are stronger than us, faster, and you know what they can do."

A sense of dread washed over her as she heard those words, remembering exactly what would follow. She wanted to stop the nightmare, to force herself awake, but her struggle was to no avail.

"You haven't answered my question." she heard herself insist.

"Forty-nine out of fifty." the boy said, clearly trying to contain his own anxiety as he raised a hand to straighten his glasses. "Good enough. Run along with the others. I know exactly what to do about this."

He then looked over his shoulder, glancing at her through bespectacled eyes.

"I may be just a dumb kid, but I know what's at stake here." he said with what sounded like chilling resignation. "So go on. Leave your mark and make everyone proud. Today I do my part."

With that, he broke into a sprint, heading in the direction of the noise as he pulled out what looked like a pair of sealed test tubes out of the pockets of his labcoat. Bogged down as she was by the terror of what was happening, her legs felt as if they were made of lead. One of the adults caught up with her and ushered her to an underground evacuation route with the remaining children, and, moments later she heard two words, roared in defiance.

"For tomorrow!"

And with that, an explosion rocked the building and the hallway collapsed behind them, sealing the path of their assailants.

Still trapped in the nightmare, her surroundings shifted in a blur and another familiar scene from her memory played out.

She found herself in an old underground lab, buried underneath layers of rock and wreckage. The Resistance soldiers that had escorted her there had been wiped out above, trying to buy time for her to do what she had headed there to do. The immediate assailants had been delayed, though the last of her escorts had paid dearly for that and by the sound of footsteps drawing closer she knew that more were on their way.

A familiar form, clad in a green uniform, lay limp on the waterlogged floor of the buried ruin. To that day, she still did not know how Milan had managed to drag himself back alive. He had simply shown up days later, seemingly unharmed but tight lipped about the whole ordeal, and then returned to work with a zeal bordering on the fanatic. The others had not been so lucky, decimated by the Golems or gunned down by the mindless Pantheon enforcers.

In front of her, a diminutive figure clad in red hovered in the air, propelled by equally small luminescent wings, seemingly made of glowing blue wire, its back turned to her.

"Don't worry about me. Remember, everyone is waiting for your safe return!" the voice of yet another lost friend said to her, this time female.

Passy, the brave little Cyber Elf who had helped her awaken Zero from his slumber, was also gone for good, and though it had been a necessary sacrifice, reliving the event was still just as painful as it had been back then. Once again, Ciel struggled to wake up, calling upon all the will her tired mind could muster… and finally broke free.

* * *

Ciel woke up in a cold sweat and hastily sat up, tears pooling in her eyes. She nervously looked around and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"Never again..." she said to herself, clenching her fist. "Never again!"

She had uttered those words before, emotionally raw after a harrowing ordeal, before making a fateful decision that had eventually resulted in a terrible mistake, and again after the insane copy had met its end. The first loss had set her on her path, but no matter how hard she tried, others kept risking their lives for her sake, sacrificing themselves for the dream they shared with her. She absolutely hated it, and often ended up blaming herself for her inability to prevent it.

"_Maybe__ we'll finally have a lasting peace this time?"_ she thought, tired of such forced partings and the terrible feeling of impotence.

Though her rational mind knew that the undertaking she and the others had embarked upon would never have been without danger, as one of the leaders of the Resistance she still couldn't help blaming herself. Elpizo's reckless tactics, throwing away lives in search of an overwhelming victory, the ensuing fiasco and his descent into madness had also taken their toll on her. Most of all though, the fact that her creations, meant to restore peace and order, had been the spark for greater conflict still ate away at her in the late hours of the night. Slowly, hesitantly, she was beginning to move on with her life, but such ill timed nightmares made her struggle more difficult.

"_What is it about the night… that brings out these thoughts?" _she pondered. _"All the regrets, all the painful memories?"_

She then shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind.

"Enough!" she said to herself before getting up, putting on a coat and a pair of shoes and stepping outside, hoping the night air would help her feel a little better.

As she made her way through the living room, she heard Alouette's soft snoring through the open door of her room and allowed herself a faint smile. Trying not to make too much noise, she exited the small house and gently closed the front door.

To her surprise, she saw Zero outside, sitting on a wide wooden bench outside his shack, seemingly lost in his own thoughts as he stared into the distance with his arms crossed. Reassured by his presence, she unceremoniously sat next to him.

"Can't sleep?" he asked as he noticed her, before surreptitiously rubbing his right boot against the dirt in an attempt to get a couple of stubborn leaves of an unusual shape unstuck from it without her noticing.

"Unpleasant memories paying a visit." she said with a sigh.

"You too huh?" he asked, letting out a sigh of his own.

"I guess your memories are still returning..." she said.

She had noticed him growing more expressive over time, more alive as he gradually regained what he had lost, but she could tell that there were parts of his past he did not feel comfortable sharing.

"I've been around for a very long time." Zero said. "Enough to get plenty of regrets and go through a lot of things I'd rather forget."

Then his expression softened slightly and he looked at her.

"It's not all bad though. I do get to make myself useful and be a part of something meaningful now and again."

"I still can't quite imagine what it would be like to live that long." Ciel confessed. "I don't know if I'd want that either. But for all it's worth, I'm glad you're with us."

"I'm… glad to be here too." he said, once again striking a chord with her whether he realized it or not. "But what's eating at you?"

"I'm tired of losing friends and companions." she said, still somewhat downcast. "Sick of people sacrificing themselves for my sake. Do you know how many Resistance soldiers got killed just getting me to that lab where you were sealed? How many we lost during this whole conflict?"

"I know a thing or two about losing companions..." Zero said sympathetically. "I lost my fair share back in the day. In a way, not being able to remember all of them feels just as bad. They deserve better."

"Sometimes I can't help wondering..." Ciel said. "Why does this keep happening? Am I too soft? Too weak?"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Zero said, patting her shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with being soft, and you have plenty of strengths of your own. Yes, it hurts, and the closer you are to someone the worse it feels, but it was their choice. They went into it knowing what was at stake, and they wouldn't want you to feel like this."

"What was it like, back in your time?" she asked.

"The memories are still trickling in, but it could get… pretty bad." Zero said. "Some of the scars still linger on the Earth itself. At one point that bastard Sigma even tried to reenact the extinction of the dinosaurs by crashing a huge space colony. X could tell you more details, but that probably wouldn't help with the nightmares."

"But what do you think I should do?" she asked, almost pleadingly. "About the memories?"

"Well, I'd recommend against sleeping it off for a couple of centuries, that's for sure." Zero said, as a slight grin crept over his face. "Though that did have a few unexpected benefits. I got to see something new, meet new people, find a new cause."

"_It's just..."_ he thought _"A little difficult to figure out what to do with myself now that the fighting is over."_

"Back then, when we first met, you were going purely on instinct, but that didn't last. The way you recovered your fighting skills so quickly was almost frightening." Ciel recalled. "But I never had the chance to ask… What drives you even now?"

"In my early days, I couldn't stand those pesky Mavericks and the way they thought they had the right to step on anyone they wanted." Zero recalled. "Not to mention I wanted to stick by my friends. After that, there's still a bit of a gap around the time of the Elf Wars, but I know Weil was involved in those and you know what I think of megalomaniac assholes like that. More recently… well, there's something about the sight of a cute girl being chased by killer robots that brings out the will to fight, with or without amnesia."

"_Did he just..." _she thought, surprised. Though Zero had ended up being a frequent source of encouragement in his own blunt and sometimes aloof way, she was definitely not used to hearing him refer to her in such terms.

"_Ah crap..."_ he thought, realizing he had said too much. _"Hope she won't read too much into that..."_

"Flatterer..." she teased, feeling a bit lightheaded.

Ciel didn't say much else, as her fatigue caught up with her and his presence once again lulled her into a state of tranquility. The next thing Zero knew, she had fallen asleep, with her head falling lazily on his shoulder. Not daring to move, much like someone who had just had a baby animal fall asleep on their lap, Zero watched, perplexed and amused in equal measure.

"_I guess this is an interesting career change." _he thought, turning his head ever so slightly to glance at her. _"From soldier to bodyguard to… pillow?"_

Regardless, he could not deny that he found her presence as soothing as she did his. For the rest of the night, at least, he found himself mercifully free from unwanted flashbacks, and eventually dozed off as well.

* * *

The next morning, however, as he lazily opened his eyes, finding her still asleep in the same position, Zero found himself studying her face in the light of day. As he did so, once again he recalled the blurry memories of what he assumed to be the moments leading to his sealing, as well as the similarities between Ciel and the woman present there.

While he had often walked in on her, fast asleep at her desk after overworking herself, seeing her so up close and personal and in such a relaxed state was slightly different. Her peaceful expression soothed him in a way that he had never put into words.

As his gaze lingered on her sleeping face, he felt a renewed urge to keep her safe, along with a strange trepidation he could not find the words to describe, a blossoming warmth. As he watched on, unable to pry his gaze away, she muttered something unintelligible in her sleep… and then, without waking up, gave him another surprise hug much like she had upon finding him alive and in one piece after Ragnarok. The difference was this time he was fully awake and, unlike at the crater, all alone with her.

He was definitely caught off guard and his synthetic heart thrummed in response as his mind slipped into a state of tranquil contentment. For a brief moment, his unease subsided and all was well in the world. Something else began to stir as well, however, something deeper and older. Then, before he knew what was going on, he felt a prickling sensation in his chest and was violently shaken out of this state as more memories came rushing in, unbidden… and painful.

"_What the…?!" _he thought in alarm, struggling to make sense of the scenes flashing before his mind's eye.

Another face from his past emerged in his mind's eye, just as soft and endearing, only with brown locks, a ponytail rivaling his own and green eyes, clad in an odd red and blue armored vest with golden highlights and white gauntlets. The scenes unfolded, skipping ahead in time, barely giving him the chance to breathe. What looked like an average day at the old Maverick Hunter base in days long gone. A new arrival, bright eyed, timid and adorable.

Then he noticed his hands were shaking. The details of the memories were becoming clearer and more vivid. Bringing one of his hands to his face, he realized his eyes were leaking.

"_No..." _he thought, realizing what was happening. _"Of all the..."_

Colleagues becoming friends. A growing bond. Feelings he had never known before in his life. His old enemy, manipulating events from out of sight. Clashes of personality, misunderstandings, mistrust, with both of them caught in between the Hunters and another group. The name danced at the edge of his consciousness for a moment before he could finally recall it. Repliforce.

He struggled to remain in control, but soon found himself overwhelmed by the memories of what had to have been, without a doubt, the worst day in his life.

"No..." he hissed audibly, unable to contain the torrent of memories.

Allies turned enemies through the deceit of others. A pointless duel. A sweet girl, driven insane with grief and rage. Another pointless fight, culminating with Zero holding her lifeless body and screaming at the heavens in utter despair.

"Iris..." he whimpered weakly.

Then he cracked. Losing control of himself, Zero started shaking violently and fell to the ground, startling Ciel awake. She jumped to her feet only to find him on his hands and knees, shivering, seemingly struggling to breathe, and with a look of naked grief on his face she had never seen before, with tears streaming down his face.

"Zero?!" she called out in alarm as she knelt next to him and placed a hand on his back. "What's wrong?!"

Alerted by the commotion, Alouette ran outside and gasped at the sight.

"Sis?" she called out.

"Get Cerveau and Rocinolle here now!" Ciel pleaded, not daring to move from that spot.

A sorrow that had been lurking in the innermost depths of his heart for centuries had finally broken loose. An old wound, never fully healed, had just been exposed, just as Zero's heart seemed to be ready to awaken.


	6. Discordant Notes

Chapter 6 – Discordant Notes

"Physically, there's nothing wrong with him." Cerveau said as he concluded his examination of Zero, who at the moment was resting on a metal bed in the settlement's small infirmary.

"The symptoms are familiar, however." Rocinolle added with a sigh. "It looks like he was having a panic attack."

"I… see..." Ciel said.

Zero sighed, frustrated by having unwillingly caused such a commotion and startled her out of her sleep.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." he said as he tried to sit up, before Ciel stopped him by abruptly placing her hand on his chest and pushing him back. Though somewhat reluctant to get too close to him out of fear of accidentally setting off another panic attack, she refused to leave his side until she was sure he would be all right.

"What do you mean?" she asked with a concerned frown.

"Only that my memories are still coming back." he said rather bluntly. "They were steadily trickling in since you work me up, but after that close call with Ragnarok it feels like they just come in whenever they want."

"_Something has changed..."_ he pondered. _"Is it… because of her?"_

"How are you feeling now?" the Rocinolle asked, placing one of her large hands on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine." he said dismissively. "I just need some more time."

"What kind of answer is that?" she scolded, with a frown marring her round face.

"Sorry." Zero said, his tone somewhat softer.

He was not used to showing such vulnerability, and was silently hoping to find a way to end the conversation before someone tried to pry too much. Still, he felt guilty for disregarding the concern the others were showing for his well-being.

"I must insist that you do get some rest." Rocinolle added.

"Same here." Ciel chimed in.

Ciel then cast him another worried glance.

"Sometimes I wonder..." she said with a sigh. "If we pushed you too hard. If piling our hopes on you was selfish of us. Of me."

"_Ah shit..." _Zero thought bitterly as he realized she was slipping into the pattern of blaming herself again. _"Oh no you don't."_

Not willing to let her continue, he sat back up, placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

"I'm here because I want to be." he said, firm but gentle. "Everything I did was my choice."

Making sure he had her full attention, he stared right at her.

"What happened wasn't your fault. It's just that when you've been alive for as long as I have, you can't help picking up your fair share of bad memories. That one was just particularly bad and it snuck up on me when my guard was down. That's all."

"I see..." Ciel said, visibly relieved, while trying not to think about how soft his hand felt.

She then took a deep breath and showed a hint of one of her usual smiles.

"In that case, I hope you'll allow me to do what I can to help… just like you stuck up for us."

"You are already helping." he said, managing to smile despite how fresh the onslaught of memories still was in his mind.

"_More than you realize..." _he thought.

He did not know how long he would still be forced to grapple with the flashbacks and dreams, but he was determined not to let them interfere with his ability to function, or with the new mission he had set for himself.

"Well then, we should let Zero get some more rest." Cerveau said, trying to clear the air a bit. He too knew how to recognize when Ciel was falling into certain patterns.

"I'll just head to my place." Zero said before getting up from the bed.

"You'd better call us if you feel anything else out of the ordinary, you hear?" Rocinolle insisted as he was about to cross the doorway.

"Right." he replied, eager to get some time alone.

Once he was out of earshot, Rocinolle then turned to Ciel.

"He's tougher than he looks. Which in his case is saying a lot. But what about you?"

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"Have you been getting enough sleep?" Rocinolle asked, watching her like a hawk. "You know all those late hours can't be good for your health. You're still growing and you need your rest."

"I'm trying." Ciel said earnestly.

"Well, try harder." Rocinolle said, unusually blunt, like a mother scolding a child. "You may be a genius and still be technically in charge, but you need to learn to delegate, dear."

"You know anyone here will be more than happy to help take some of your workload." Cerveau added. "The work you continue to do is important, of course, but you're still young. You'll have plenty of time to stay cooped up in a workshop or a lab when you get to my age."

"I'll try to be more mindful of my own needs." Ciel conceded. "Thank you for the concern."

"Just so you know, we still have some sleeping aids left and are working on securing more medical supplies." Rocinolle added. "If you think you need he-"

"No." Ciel interrupted, shaking her head. "If I'm struggling, I'll ask for help. But I won't fall into that trap."

"Good." Rocinolle said with a smile. "We don't want to consider that either, mind you. You're far too young to be resorting to such things."

One concern shared by several of the people closest to Ciel was how she tended to drive herself beyond what could be considered reasonable. Not only was her intellect enough to intimidate people three or four times her age, but she could also be very stubborn, much like Zero.

* * *

Outside, as Zero headed back to his shack, he realized something. Even though he had only been able to consciously remember that particularly painful phase of his life rather recently, there had always been something holding him back in regards to acknowledging the tension between himself and Ciel. At first, he did not know what exactly he was feeling, but after such an intense recollection and the ensuing panic attack he was certain that his actions had not been the result of merely his memory loss. Looking further back, he realized that in his older days he had avoided excessively deep emotional entanglements in general following his loss… with a few notable exceptions.

"_What am I going to do with myself?" _he thought with a sigh.

Still fatigued by the ordeal, he went inside, locked the door and got in bed, hoping that no more memories would bother him for a while. He already had enough to digest for the time being.

While for synthetic beings such as himself sleep was not strictly a necessity, it was still an opportunity to rest the mind while conserving energy or redirecting most of what would normally be spent on movement towards self-repair. The fact that X, Zero and the Reploid population in general were capable of true dreams only attested to how far ahead of their time their creators had truly been… for the most part.

Alone with his thoughts, Zero found his focus randomly drifting towards the distant past again.

Even though his memories were still in an incomplete state, he distinctly recalled the search for answers he and X had undertaken after Sigma's final defeat, before being interrupted by the outbreak of what would eventually become known as the Elf Wars. During this period, Zero had become fully aware of who his creator had been, having uncovered a few buried facilities during this time period where the mad professor had once developed some of his earlier creations. The databanks within had been most enlightening, albeit troubling, but something still didn't add up.

"_How the hell did that crazy old man go from this?" _Zero recalled himself thinking as he gazed upon the rather ridiculous schematic on the screen. _"To this?" _he recalled finishing as he looked at himself.

"_Half of these so-called Robot Masters are over-specialized to the point of being crippled, and the other half are a damn joke! Hard Man?! Seriously?! And why is each of them so glaringly vulnerable to another's weapons? The old man was insane."_

"_And then there's this asshole..." _Zero recalled thinking as he looked at the schematics of another robot, different from the others, with a design more similar to his own.

The biggest shock, however, had definitely been the discovery that he had been created as Dr. Wily's final middle finger to the world, in direct opposition to what looked like a child version of X.

Catching himself, Zero realized he had ended up reminiscing as he walked yet again, almost walking face first into the door of his shack. With a grunt of annoyance, he shook his head, opened the door, then stepped inside and locked it behind him.

"Bah!" he said out loud as he closed the shutters on the window and slipped back into his bed. "Enough!"

And with that, he pulled the covers over himself and tried to momentarily force himself to let go of the thoughts buzzing in his head.

Unfortunately, a few hours later, his rest was cut short by loud voices outside.

"Ugh, what now?" he grumbled, dragging himself outside.

"We were meant to be the inheritors of the Earth!" a man shouted. "Instead we ended up with a crater and living in villages like primitives!"

Zero sighed and rolled his eyes at the sight. The man, clearly more than well fed and wearing brand new designer clothing, was most likely one of the citizens of Neo Arcadia the Resistance had managed to evacuate from the city right before Ragnarok's main cannon wiped it from the map.

"_That didn't take long..." _Zero thought angrily, recalling what Ciel had told him about the dark days before his awakening and the tensions between humans and Reploids in the past.

"That's right!" a woman in a fancy dress added. "This is simply unacceptable!"

"Since we are stuck here, we might as well take charge of things." the arrogant man continued. "To make sure the uneducated louts don't make another mess."

Such was the anger building up in Zero's chest that he was unable to see their faces clearly.

"_Are you people for real?!" _he thought, absolutely fuming and clenching his fist.

"How dare you?" a woman in a typical green uniform of the Resistance, also human, snapped back. "We pulled you out of the fire, we welcomed you in our homes! The crater is barely cold and you're already trying to push people around?!"

"Of course a Reploid lover like you would take their side." the woman in the fancy dress retorted. "For all we know, you could even be part machine!"

"That's the stupidest comeback I've ever heard." a Reploid boy in casual clothing countered. "Are you jealous or something you old hag?!"

"Old hag?!" the woman in the fancy dress hissed. "How dare you-"

"ENOUGH!" a man roared, loudly enough to reduce the others to silence.

Zero watched as the man walked past the shack window and took a good look at him. He was tall, somewhere between his thirties and forties, and almost unnaturally thin. He was wearing what looked like a white labcoat with frayed edges over a black bodysuit and a pair of thick brown hiking boots. He placed a thin hand over his heaving chest, seemingly short of breath, and stared at the arguing group with a pair of searing blue eyes with an almost maniacal intensity. Zero was able to see his face, thin, worn, haggard, with dark hair starting to go gray at the sides and a beard, both showing signs of not having been cared for in at least a couple of weeks.

"Don't you idiots understand?!" he hissed at the Neo Arcadians. "The life you knew is gone… and you are partially to blame. You didn't care about what was happening all around you as long as you were kept fed and had your fancy clothes and toys and an illusion of safety."

"Are you seriously siding with the Mav-" the arrogant man tried to ask before being cut off by the newcomer grabbing him by the neck.

"Don't you dare speak to me of Mavericks you swine!" the man growled, casting a fulminating gaze. "You've never even seen a real one or you wouldn't be standing here. You have no idea how twisted they are, or you wouldn't be throwing that label around so casually."

"That's right!" the woman in uniform added. "That faker and his cronies thought that was a convenient label to slap on Reploids in order to justify what they did. Everybody with two brain cells to rub together knows that!"

"They hunted us like animals!" the boy added indignantly. "All just to pry out our reactors and turn us into scrap! What could a stupid fatass like you know about Mavericks?"

"Reploids, humans, it doesn't matter you imbecile." the bearded man hissed. "These are people. It's about time you realized that organic and synthetic don't mean a damn thing."

He then shoved the arrogant man away and wiped his hand on his labcoat as if he had just touched excrement.

"These are just people trying to survive." he added. "Idiots like you wouldn't understand. Mavericks, actual Mavericks… were like wild beasts. Not so different from humans when they lose all their restraints. I would know."

By this point the arrogant man was backing away slowly, scared of the newcomer's clearly altered state.

"They took my boy from me." the bearded man said, his eyes turning moist. "They would have taken far more if they hadn't been stopped. If you're so stuck on the past, then have you already forgotten the Hunters and how many people they lost, organic and synthetic, fighting against that scum?"

"Have you forgotten X's battles so quickly?!" the woman in uniform railed at the arrogant pair.

"The original X, not that worthless fake!" the Reploid boy said. "Zero too, back in the day."

"In fact, most of the Hunters were Reploids, who signed up to protect humanity." the woman in the uniform said. "They took the worst of the losses!"

"So don't you dare put these people in the same bag as that Maverick trash!" the bearded man fumed.

"That's right!" the Reploid boy added, glaring daggers at the woman in the fancy dress. "Or should I go around treating all humans like trash too for what other humans did to us?"

"Get your heads out of your asses!" the bearded man shouted, glaring at the woman in the fancy dress. "You're not in Neo Arcadia anymore, and you lost it because you were too quick to hand over power to tyrants."

"It's very simple." the woman in the uniform said, pointing a finger at the arrogant man. "We need to stick together to face the future. If you want to be a part of it, then you're welcome here. If you don't like it here, then build your own place. If you don't have anything constructive to say, then shut the hell up."

It was then that Zero noticed that Ciel was nearby and, judging by the look on her face, she had heard the whole exchange. The bearded man seemed to notice this as well, as he lowered his head and stepped towards her.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." he said, downcast.

"Does it ever end?" Ciel asked, her eyes beginning to leak.

"There will always be idiots, regardless of time and place." the man said with a sigh, before wiping her tears with his thumb. By the familiarity, Zero surmised they knew each other, though he had not seen the man before.

The man's expression then softened and he allowed himself to smile.

"But for every idiot like those two, you'll find a hundred people who believe in you… and if it ever gets to the point where you can't believe in yourself, then believe in them. Keep that chin up. Eyes on tomorrow."

"I will." she said, perking up slightly. "You're right. I have too many people counting on me to falter now."

The man smiled and took another look at her.

"You keep growing taller every time I see you." he said, suddenly looking very tired. "Time just flies by. I hope I can last long enough to see what changes you'll still bring."

With that, he straightened up.

"Well, take care of yourself." he finally said, regaining his composure. "I have to get back to my work. Oh, the parts we talked about are almost ready. I'll leave them with Cerveau later."

And with that, he turned around to leave.

Meanwhile, another figure, plain and unremarkable, was watching everything, clad in a green Resistance uniform while standing in the shade of a nearby building. The onlooker's gaze lingered on the older man, then on Ciel, before finally focusing on Zero.

"_Are you really just going to stand there watching?"_ the figure thought indignantly._ "Say something to her damnit!"_

As if on cue, Zero stepped outside, making a beeline for Ciel and nearly bumping into the bearded man, who leaned out of the way just in time.

"_That's better. Definitely more like the Zero I remember."_

"I hope you weren't disturbed by the noise." Ciel said as Zero came close to her.

"What?!" Zero protested, unable to believe what he was hearing. "After the way they spat on all your work, you're worried about me losing sleep?!"

His tone made her stiffen up instinctively, and he immediately regretted it. Realizing what he had done, he lowered his posture so he could look at her face to face.

"Sorry..." he said, in a much softer tone. "Hearing that made me sick, but I'm more worried about you. I'm not about to do anything crazy, but some people are just..."

Zero then sighed.

"Look. You know they were full of shit, right?"

"Technically, I did set in motion the chain of events that led to this." Ciel pointed out.

"You can't blame yourself for the choices of others." Zero countered. "Also, by that logic, you're also responsible for saving the lives of everyone here, myself included."

"Yourself included?" she asked, caught off guard.

"Who was it that made this whole Resistance thing work?" Zero asked.

"Who was it that woke me up, got me up to speed on things, kept me equipped and mended my busted ass more times than I'd care to admit?" Zero insisted. "I know how bad you feel about that whole mess, but at some point you're going to have to have to start seeing the worth in what you do."

She was at a loss for words. Zero had definitely become more expressive and eloquent over time, though whether that was due to more of his memories returning or something more, she could not tell. His outburst made her wonder when exactly this had started and how she hadn't noticed it sooner.

What she did know was that just how she often tried to temper his recklessness so did he try to chase away the specter of guilt eating away at the back of her mind. For such a legendary warrior, she realized, he had a hidden, softer side that she had never expected. His presence brought not only a sense of safety but also a warm comfort she was not familiar with. She found herself wanting to hug him again, badly, but was still afraid of triggering another panic attack.

As if reading her mind, he took the initiative, and she found herself receiving the first actual hug from him. Caught by surprise, she gasped.

"W-What are you...?" she stuttered. "What about…?"

"You're not responsible for my bad memories either." he said with a smile. "In fact, you've given me plenty of good ones since you woke me up… and a new purpose."

"What do you mean?" she asked, caught off guard by his words, her face turning a shade of pink.

"The past may have its ugly spots, but it's the past. Right now, I want to see you take all those hopes and dreams for the future and carry them as high as you can. If anything makes you trip and fall along the way again, I'll be right there to pick you up."

At this point Ciel found herself unable to articulate coherent thoughts, let alone words.

"_D-Did he just… ah… my chest..."_

Having caught the last bit of the altercation and the aftermath, Alouette too was watching from a distance, a smile creeping across her face.

"_I knew it!"_ the diminutive Reploid girl thought, before backing away to give them a little more space.

* * *

Elsewhere…

"There. I trust the scenic route was to your satisfaction?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Do you know how long it has been since I last had the time to just wander around on a whim?"

"You are taking risks..."

"As I said before, I'm too stubborn to fade out now. It was challenging before, but as long as I don't exert myself too much I..."

"Master?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just… look at that."

"Nesting birds?"

"Despite the damage, the scars and everything else, nature is just beautiful. I can't help pausing to admire it."

"I suppose… we can agree on that."

"Good. When you've been around as long as I have, hopefully you'll know the importance of enjoying the moments of peace while they last. You'll drive yourself crazy if all you think about is duty and the next crisis. I had to learn that the hard way."

"I suppose. Just do try not to startle people like that. The world still needs you."

"Oh… I don't believe it. Is that a rabbit?"

"What about it?"

"I'm definitely coming back here after I get a new body."

"… Seriously?"

"Just look at it! It's so soft!"

"Please, Master… stop it. You are sounding like a giddy child."

"I thought I'd told you to stop calling me that. Just for that, I'm bringing you along when I come back here."


	7. Reunion

Chapter 7 – Reunion

Around dusk, Zero saw the same strange man walk back into town, carrying a large backpack from which several metallic components were sticking out. Surprised by the man's strength despite his thin frame and organic nature, Zero watched as he made his way to a long shed where he knew Cerveau had set up a forge and workshop to help with the settlement's more technical needs.

By this point the settlement had already reached several dozen single floor houses of varying size, all built from scavenged metal, and some more adventurous souls were entertaining the notion of starting adding extra floors on top of the existing ones as soon as materials and tools allowed. Cerveau was also in the process of planning the drilling of a well to avoid overtaxing the nearby water streams.

Zero watched the man step into the shed and leave again after a few minutes. As he made his way back out of the settlement, Zero couldn't help getting a word in.

"Nice speech back there." Zero said. "It's good to know there are other people willing to speak up when it counts."

"They had it coming." the man said, looking at Zero eye to eye, unflinching. "One of the reasons why things got so bad is because too many people just kept shrugging and looking away. 'Not my problem.' 'It won't happen here.' 'Over there needs to look out for itself.' Boom, millions gone. Again."

Zero simply nodded, recalling how even back in his days as a Hunter many humans and even Reploids in some cases had refused to take sides simply because the conflicts did not directly affect them.

"I must ask..." the bearded man said with a strange glimmer in his eyes as he looked at Zero. "What goes through your mind when you see people being that stupid?"

"What do you think?" Zero replied. "It pisses me off to no end. I've never fought for their praise. I do it because I'm one of the few who can. But if they're going out of their way to spit on the sacrifices and hard work of others, then we have a problem."

"Stupid question, I know." the man said with a nod. "But yes, sometimes you just want to flip a table, punch someone. It's like this selfish stupidity is wired into some people's core."

"Let's hope not. But... I didn't get your name earlier."

"Thaddeus." the man said, showing the faintest hint of a smile at Zero's reply. "I used to be a scientist back in the day. Now I'm just another lost soul trying to put things back together… even with so many pieces missing."

"I take it you're another of Ciel's acquaintances then. I don't remember seeing you with the Resistance."

"That's because for a long time, I was… elsewhere."

The way the man glanced towards what Zero knew to be the direction of the crater where Neo Arcadia had once stood did not escape his notice.

"So you used to live there too then?" Zero asked. "I wasn't exactly fond of the place, but what happened was still a damn waste. Too many people… just gone."

"And the only home many of the survivors have ever known." the man said, crossing his arms with a sour look on his face. "In my case, I may have lived there, but that damned city stopped being a home to me a long time ago."

"What do you mean?"

"That's between Ciel and I." Thaddeus said with a mournful expression. "If she hasn't told you, then I won't touch that particular wound. The poor girl has enough on her mind as it is. For now, let's just say that there was a reason why the Resistance was so well informed about what was going on in there. Not all battles are fought on the front lines alone."

"Meaning you were a spy?" Zero surmised.

"I had my reservations about her pet project, though I more than understood her reasons." Thaddeus said, scratching his beard. "When he showed his true colors and Ciel left in disgust, a number of like-minded people stayed behind, knowing that it would be exceedingly difficult for her to return… and that even darker times were ahead. We also tried to do what we could to hinder the lunatics running the asylum without blowing our cover."

"I see." Zero said, still getting the feeling that there was more to it. "In that case, I suppose I should thank you for your work."

"We only provided the opportunities." Thaddeus said dismissively. "The soldiers and the people in charge of the Resistance did the rest. You and Ciel in particular."

It was then that a thought crossed Zero's mind as he recalled the labcoat he had seen Ciel wearing before, very similar in design to the older man's. The only real differences were the size and how his was visibly more worn, but Zero also noticed another detail that had previously escaped his notice – a small insignia on the lapel in the shape of two hands cradling a seed, which he was sure he had seen on Ciel's labcoat as well.

"So I'm guessing you escaped the city before Ragnarok hit." Zero said, his mind once again pondering the connection. "Since you used to live there and used to be a scientist, would you happen to know..."

"Where Ciel's mother might be?" Thaddeus cut him off, as if guessing what he was thinking. "Afraid not. Well spotted though."

"I'm guessing there's a story behind that as well?"

"That labcoat Ciel keeps around for special days… yeah… I used to work with her mother, before and after things went to hell."

He then sat down on a nearby bench, giving his legs a rest.

"Given the family connection, we moved her to a safer post out of sight. We couldn't risk those bastards getting their hands on her and using her as leverage against Ciel. She was doing a different kind of work near the end, helping us coordinate our operations."

"So what happened to her?" Zero asked.

"Unfortunately, she insisted on helping with the evacuation personally, and we got separated in the chaos. If she has not surfaced yet, then... either she got caught in the blast or something else happened. I looked for her as long as I could before leaving, but found no trace of her. If I'd stayed any longer I wouldn't be here today."

"Then I should step in and see what I can find out." Zero said with a determined look.

"No." Thaddeus said, shaking his head. "You have an important mission to fulfill here. You may not realize it yet, but the people here still need you. Ciel in particular."

"You mean as an idle symbol?" Zero asked, clearly displeased by the idea of doing nothing. "Ciel is the leader here. I'm more of a pest control type."

"Far from idle." Thaddeus countered. "Ever since Ciel pulled you out of that underground lab, your mere presence has been giving people hope. By staying here, you'll also be a kind of insurance in case another relic of the old world comes knocking. You know very well the rank and file of the Resistance aren't equipped to deal with the kind of threats you've faced. You may not care for being called a legend, but such things have weight and you wear the mantle well."

"True." Zero conceded. "But now that there's nothing left for them to resist, they're probably going to need a new name. I'll probably have to do something about their training sooner or later too. I can't be everywhere."

"Definitely something to consider… assuming you're not interrupted by some other idiots trying to ruin what we have now."

Thaddeus looked into the horizon and then momentarily closed his eyes.

"I'll be going back to my search soon. Don't tell Ciel anything for now though. I don't want to give her false hopes. The poor girl has been through enough."

And with that, he got up and left.

"_Strange man..." _Zero thought as he watched him leave.

Zero still retained some of his talent at reading people, likely a leftover from his days as a Maverick Hunter. He had sensed two things about the man during their conversation and the preceding altercation. A will of iron, anchored on a sense of purpose, and a mass of grief and anger that might have crushed weaker people.

It was then that Zero recalled some of the words from the scene he had witnessed.

"_Actual Mavericks… were like wild beasts. They took my boy from me."_

Zero knew that, despite his and X's best efforts, some actual, genuine Mavericks had either remained or emerged after their disappearance, which had been one of the reasons for Ciel's fateful decision to create a new hero in their stead. Ciel had once speculated that maybe some remnant of the virus had lingered in a lost facility or computer network somewhere, periodically reaching out into the world. Regardless of the how and why of it, the copy of X had actually been quite efficient at disposing of the remaining Mavericks, seemingly for good, before succumbing to madness.

Pondering all of this, Zero decided to stretch his legs outside the settlement as was becoming his habit. Long walks, he found, were becoming increasingly effective at helping him think. If not for his new mission as Ciel's protector and defender of the settlement, he might have considered planning an extended hike to see the rest of the world with his own eyes. As he was making his way along the settlement's main dirt road, however, he saw Alouette, seemingly waiting for him.

"Oh hi." Zero said. "Are you looking for someone?"

"Not anymore." she said, looking him in the eye as her usual smile was replaced by a serious expression. "I need to talk to you… away from Ciel."

"Oh?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

The two walked together until they were outside the village proper, until Alouette turned around.

"So..." she started, once again fixating her gaze on him. "I don't think I've seen you this angry in a long time."

"After everything Ciel has done for them, those ingrates still have the nerve to..." Zero growled, naked anger briefly flashing through his face.

"I knew it." Alouette said with a soft smile.

"You knew what?" he asked, his anger replaced with confusion.

"You hide it well… most of the time." she said, with surprising maturity for her age. "But you slip here and there. Little things…"

"What are you talking about?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I'm talking about the way you always keep looking out for her." Alouette said with a smile. "Some kind words here, some fresh fruit and berries there. Besides… I'm sure you've seen the way she looks at you."

"I try not to." Zero replied rather tensely, looking away. "Did she put you up to this?"

"No." Alouette replied, shaking her head. "In fact, she'd probably look like a tomato if she heard us."

"Aren't you a bit too young to be thinking about these things?" Zero wondered, turning around to face her again.

"I'm a Reploid, remember?" Alouette pointed out. "I may look like a little girl… and still technically be one… but I'm a quick learner. Smarter than the average human and all that. There's still much I don't understand, but I'm sure about this."

"So what are you getting at?" Zero asked, torn between confusion and the slightest bit of annoyance, the latter of which was mitigated by the fact that despite her prodding, she was still her usual adorable self.

"Why?" Alouette asked in turn. "Why hide it?"

"Hide what?"

"That you care for her." Alouette said, her smile widening further.

Zero was definitely not expecting that. Her words caught him off guard and yet again, his stoic facade cracked, as it tended to do around her and Ciel. But then his expression darkened and he gave her a strange glance. In that moment, Alouette noticed the profound sadness in his eyes.

"It would never work out." he said, lowering his head. "I know from experience. A lot of other things happened before I went to sleep. My memory is still on the mend, but almost anyone who gets involved with me too closely tends not to last very long. Besides… there's still the fact that I'll probably outlive her and every other human alive today."

Zero's words reminded her of Old Andrew and his stories about how he had once fallen in love with a human woman and lived together with her for many years before her time had finally run out. At the time Alouette had been too young to understand why he would change his appearance to resemble hers and keep the new look after her passing, but as she developed her intellect she was finally able to fully grasp the meaning of such choices. Still, despite the sadness in the old Reploid's voice, she had also sensed a joy that time had not eroded.

"I see..." Alouette said with sigh before suddenly brightening up. "But I didn't hear a no. You do care."

"Are you ignoring everything else I've just said?" Zero asked with a grumble of frustration as he crouched down to look at her face to face.

"No. I'm just putting it aside for now." Alouette replied with a rather cheeky grin as she continued her prodding. "So… does that mean you..."

"You've been reading too many of Ciel's sappy books…" Zero retorted, quickly regaining his composure. "The ones I'm not even supposed to know about. Does she know you're going through her collection?"

"I don't know what you mean." Alouette said sheepishly. "But so… does that mean…?"

"You're reading far too much into it." Zero said with a sigh. "Yes, I care for her. I like having her around. She inspires people, gives them hope. I'm mostly good at breaking things and fighting, which is why she woke me up in the first place."

"She woke you up because she needed a hero." Alouette countered, poking his chest. "You've more than filled the part… in more than one way."

"You may be smarter than the average human, but you still think like a child." Zero said with another sigh.

"Or maybe I just say what I'm thinking." Alouette said. "And right now, I think you're scared. But don't worry. I won't tell Ciel about this conversation if you don't."

Then, she surprised Zero yet again with a swift hug.

"When you finally decide to be honest, I hope I'll be there to see it." she added.

"W-What?" he stuttered, once again caught off guard.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alouette asked with a sigh. "Fine."

She then grabbed Zero's face, lightly squishing his cheeks.

"You have no idea just how much you mean to her. How she brightens up when you're around. How she cried when she thought you were gone. I know you're both hurting, but I hope the three of us can be a family one day. No pressure though. Take your time… Big Brother."

That definitely hit the mark, leaving him dumbstruck.

The notion of having a family seemed utterly ludicrous to Zero, especially in the state of inner turmoil brought about by his resurgent memories. The thought of living together with Ciel, on top of that, was almost more than he could process at such a time. Being called such a thing, however, was the last straw, and for an awkwardly long moment he found himself unable to articulate a coherent sentence.

"Wh… tha… wh..." he stuttered.

"Am I… interrupting?" a familiar voice cut in with a hint of amusement.

Zero looked over his shoulder and saw a translucent humanoid form, seemingly clad in a flowing blue tunic. Its features were blurred by the soft white light radiating from it, but its presence was unmistakable, stirring all kinds of emotions in him.

"You sure picked a fine time to make an entrance." Zero said, casting a heated glare. "Where have you been anyway?"

"Oh… I just went out for a nice, relaxing stroll." X said, rather deadpan.

"I didn't know if I'd ever see you again..." Zero said, almost accusingly.

"I'm sorry." X said earnestly. "I wasn't thinking straight."

Zero was immensely relieved to see that his old friend was still around and had not simply faded away after spending his energy helping him. However, a more immediate thought was occupying his mind.

"How much did you hear?" Zero asked suspiciously.

"Enough." X replied with an unmistakable smile. "But don't worry. My lips are sealed."

"No comment." another male voice said.

"You…!" Zero hissed.

Recognizing it despite the time that had passed since their previous encounter, Zero tensed up, instinctively reaching for his Z-Saber. However, to his surprise, X raised a hand placatingly.

"Easy there." X said. "He's not here to cause trouble. Not this time."

It was then that a humanoid form, seemingly made of black smoke, appeared next to X.

"I am merely keeping my Master company on the road." the newcomer added, looking at Zero with red eyes.

"I thought I'd told you not to call me that." X said with a sigh.

"Old habits." Phantom replied dryly. Much to Zero's surprise, he seemed to sense a hint of amusement in his tone, as if he was enjoying X's chagrin at being called that.

"Anyway..." X said. "Mind if we come in?"

"Dumbass." Zero retorted, his eyes getting slightly moist despite his best attempts at restraint. If his old friend still had a body, he might have grabbed X by the shoulders and given him a good shake, or just whacked him over the head. "You don't need permission to enter your own home."

At the sight of his old friend, Zero felt as though he had regained a long missing piece of himself. Though he did not suffer another onslaught of memories like when Ciel had hugged him in her sleep, he did feel a strange giddiness, a sense of joy he couldn't put into words. It was impossible for him to stay completely stoic in such a situation.

"Zero?" Alouette asked, sensing his sudden change in mood.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Zero said, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "Come on, let's head back. Ciel isn't going to believe this."

* * *

A few minutes later, at Ciel's home...

"Well, this is a surprise..." Ciel said, flashing her usual smile at the sight of X's incorporeal radiant form. "I thought you were gone for good."

"So did I." X admitted, looking a little ashamed of himself. "I was pretty close to just… calling it quits. It was tempting to let the last of my energy fade and let the world carry on without me. But Phantom was right. Abandoning all of you at a time like this… just no. I'm just not sure how people will react when they see me here."

"Don't be silly." Ciel said. "Even after what that copy did while pretending to be you, the Resistance still remembers the real X. I can think of more than a few people who owe you their lives, their minds or both."

"That is exactly what I told him." Phantom said, crossing his incorporeal arms. "But Master X can be quite stubborn."

"I thought I'd told you not to call me that." X said with mild annoyance.

"You have no power here, Master." Phantom retorted in his usual flat tone, once again letting the tiniest bit of amusement seep through. By this point Zero was sure that Phantom was annoying X on purpose.

"You know that by the time you were activated I was already dormant, right?" X pointed out. "You never technically served with me."

"Irrelevant." Phantom said flatly. "We were created to fight by our Master's side, for the glory of humanity. Though I do find you considerably more agreeable than that flawed imitation."

"OK, first of all..." Ciel interrupted. "I built the five of you to ensure the survival of humanity and Reploids. None of this glory nonsense. Secondly, I definitely don't recall you being like this. You were always the biggest stick in the mud of the five. What happened to you?"

Despite his incorporeal state, the others could still discern a few emotions dancing across Phantom's face. Regret. Shame. Self-directed annoyance.

"I suppose losing one's body to one's own willful stupidity and being stuck in the Cyberworld for an extended period helps put things in perspective." Phantom said, for a moment sounding about as blunt as Zero. "My personal considerations aside, however, I am back to serve, if you would still have me."

"I did wonder about that back then." Zero remarked. "One fight and you blow yourself up? A bit excessive, no?"

"I suppose I got a bit too caught up in the moment… or perhaps my pride wouldn't allow me to accept defeat." Phantom conceded.

"Does that have something to do with why you were skulking around and attacked me on sight last time?" Zero asked.

"I will admit that I was… somewhat deranged from isolation when that happened." Phantom said, sounding genuinely ashamed. "I barely even recognized you at first."

"So how did you get back out?" Zero asked. "I don't remember you being able to pull this ghost thing like X does."

"I found him shortly before you and the other three Guardians got rid of Omega." X explained. "He actually helped me find them. I tried to convince him to return back then, but he wouldn't budge."

"So the dutiful Phantom has a bit of a passive-aggressive streak, does he?" Ciel remarked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I had no intention of facing you again." Phantom said. "I suppose that I needed to figure out what to do with myself, but I could not let my stubborn predecessor wander off on his own."

"Incidentally, do you know where the other Guardians are now?" Ciel asked.

"I have some ideas for possible locations, but no concrete evidence." Phantom said. "There are plenty of old ruins, Neo Arcadian outposts and so on out there. I could find them, given enough time, but I do not think they want to be found."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"Considering everything we took part in, I don't think our later actions would be enough to make up for it." Phantom said bluntly. "I would not be standing in front of you right now if not for the fact that I was accompanying someone far more important than me on the road."

"Let me ask you this then." Ciel said, looking at Phantom's incorporeal form. "Do you honestly regret your previous actions? Do they?"

"I cannot speak for the others." Phantom said before lowering his head. "But I do… and I strongly suspect they do as well. We believed we were doing what was necessary… but in the end all we had to show for it was a pointless waste of lives. You and Zero were able to turn the tables without sacrificing anyone or compromising your principles. That is what we should have done from the start."

"That settles it then." Ciel said, her expression softening slightly. "If you are genuinely trying to make amends, then..."

"Regardless, all four of us are effectively criminals, even if we were serving the lawful government." Phantom pointed out. "You would do well not to associate with the likes of us lest you tarnish your own reputation."

"I'll be the judge of that." Ciel said. "If you're serious about this, you can continue trying to make amends in the here and now. The world is still a dangerous place and we need the strength to keep the peace."

She then frowned.

"That said, many innocent Reploids did lose their lives because of your actions. If you're serious about this, then maybe you should start with the ones who survived. The ones who escaped Neo Arcadia or were rescued from the processing centers."

"It remains to be seen if they will accept any kind of aid coming from us." Phantom pointed out. "But if that is your advice, then that is what I will do. The four of us could definitely accomplish much more if we were reunited though."

"So..." Ciel said, perking up. "If you manage to pull this off..."

"Do try not to get your hopes too high." Phantom said. "After all, you based all five of us on Master X's design, and you know how stubborn he can be at times."

"I believe this would be a case of the pot calling the kettle black." X replied.

"Well, this is new." Zero remarked. "When did you two grow a sense of humor? Not to mention the road trip together."

"That's rich, coming from you." X countered with a soft laugh. "I still remember some of your old pranks back at the Hunter base."

"Well, I don't. Yet." Zero said flatly, still trying to stay composed.

"When you do, you'll probably need to find a hole to hide in for a couple of days until the embarrassment washes over." X said, his incorporeal form showing the hint of a grin. "Or maybe not. You could be pretty shameless sometimes, pranking people with a perfect poker face."

"Really?" Alouette asked, still somewhat surprised to hear such legends engage in casual banter.

For Ciel's part, she was surprised to see this side of the two… and delighted at the shift in Zero's demeanor in particular. Having his old friend back was showing a side of him she had rarely seen before. His entire posture seemed more relaxed and his tongue was definitely looser.

"You're pulling my leg..." Zero retorted. "Right?"

"You'd be surprised." X said with a fond smile as he looked at Alouette.

He then leaned closer and lowered his voice with a mischievous grin.

"I don't know how much they told you, but this rascal and I… we were like brothers. He used to be a much bigger hit with the ladies than me though."

"Let's not go there." Zero hissed, not wanting to discuss such matters in front of Ciel.

The pained look on his face spoke volumes to X. Despite the long time they'd spent apart, he instantly understood.

"I'm sorry." X said earnestly. "I shouldn't be so careless with my tongue."

"Don't mention it." Zero retorted with a sigh. "We both know whose fault that whole thing was. You and Ciel both need to lose this habit of blaming yourselves for everything."

"Huh?" Alouette interjected. "What are you two talking about?"

"I'll say this much." Zero said with a haunted look. "Even I have a heart… and let's leave it at that."

"_Does this have something to do with why he won't speak up?" _Alouette pondered suspiciously, recalling his earlier words.

Ciel was intrigued, but clearly understood that whatever they were talking about was something Zero was not prepared to share. As badly as she wanted to ask, to know what had happened and perhaps find a way to make things better, she accepted that it was out of her hands for the time being.

"Our lives back in the day were one crisis after the other." X said wearily as he looked at Alouette. "Mavericks, Sigma, then Weil and the Elf Wars… It feels like there was always someone trying to wipe out humanity, or Reploids, or both, or just enslave them."

"How do you think the Earth got to the state it's in now?" Zero added. "Between the environmental damage, Sigma's attempt to crash a gigantic space colony and tensions between humans and Reploids turning into violence…"

"Ah, yes… Eurasia..." Ciel recalled. "Ironic how an attempt to ruin the world ended up providing us a haven now."

Time had erased many details from the records, but even then some still knew that a portion of Eurasia's environmental control systems originally intended to regulate the colony's habitats had somehow survived the crash. The impact area had been cordoned off for security reasons, given Sigma's involvement in the whole affair, but instead of another viral infestation these systems had kept the local water pure and produced a spectacular regeneration of local plant life, which had in turn purified the air over the centuries.

"It was a pretty damn close call..." Zero recalled. "If there's one thing that prick enjoyed was turning technology against people… or people against each other."

"Is it true then?" Ciel asked. "Did you fire a massive cannon at it?"

"Yes, but that's not the whole story." Zero said. "The blast broke the station into pieces, but one of them was still too big. I ended up having to crash a shuttle into it."

"You what?!" Ciel asked, absolutely horrified.

"Guess I was always too stubborn to stay down." Zero said, shrugging.

"To this day I'm still not sure how he made it out." X said. Then he let out a sigh.

"We barely had enough time to sort ourselves out between all of those battles… and we lost a lot of good people as the years rolled by. Friends, colleagues… and more. Dead, insane or missing."

"Is that why you disappeared?" Alouette asked. "Because you were tired of it all?"

"I made my share of mistakes. Ragnarok was the last straw." X admitted. "I thought I should just fade into the background and let the world forget about me. Neo Arcadia was also my fault. I helped found the damn place. I should have been strong enough to prevent it… or at least make things right with my own hands."

Though certain portions of X's legend had been blown out of proportion, Ciel couldn't help finding him very relatable in person. They'd rarely had the opportunity to speak at length before, but she suspected that this was about to change.

"You tried to do something good and it blew up in your face." she realized. "Just like me."

"Many times." X said with a nod. "So you can understand why I'd be frustrated and just tired of everything."

"That definitely doesn't sound like the X I knew." Zero said. "A fighter, no matter how much he was hurting on the inside. Not the type to run away."

"Even synthetic beings get depressed." X pointed out with a sorrowful look on his face. "Your memory loss was not intended, but trust me, it still beats being stuck without a body for ages, screaming about the state of things without anyone being able to hear you."

"Well, you're not alone anymore." Zero said. "But I still have so many questions about what happened while I was under..."

"Well then..." X said, slightly perking up. "I guess you and I have a lot of catching up to do. It wasn't the same without you around."

"Same thing to you..." Zero said, wiping his face again. "Same thing to you..."

Worried about his emotional state, Ciel stepped closer and patted his back.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'll be fine." Zero managed to say, though his voice was noticeably cracking. "I'm just..."

Then Alouette compounded the situation by grabbing his hand and smiling at him.

"We get it." she said. "We're all happy to have X back."

She then glanced at Phantom's incorporeal form.

"I suppose we should thank you… even if you were a jerk before." she said with an unusual amount of sass in her tone.

"I make no excuses." Phantom said somberly.

"If Ciel says it's OK to trust you, then I'll try to." Alouette said, before puffing her cheeks. "But if you upset her again, you're screwed. Never mind Zero. I'll kick you in the shins."

"Noted." Phantom said flatly.

"_I've heard of this girl..."_ the Guardian thought. _"She and the others used to be so terrified of us… and now look at her. Is this Zero's influence as well or...?"_

Just as Copy X's descent into madness had profoundly hurt Ciel, the way the Guardians had so obediently followed him had felt like another egregious betrayal. Having had their personality matrices built from the same base template and then allowed to evolve on their own, it had been surprising to see how different they had turned out from X and from each other. Ciel had also been unable to understand their reasoning for complying so readily with the tyrant, though after seeing footage of their battles she had reached her own conclusions.

Ciel suspected that Fefnir had been just indulging his lust for battle in his usual over the top manner.

Leviathan had seemed more ambiguous about her intentions, at times sounding like she too was driven by duty, while other times she had baffled everyone else with the unhealthy way she'd seemed to enjoy her confrontations with Zero. Some of the recovered footage from helmet cameras and security systems and Zero's own recounting had left Ciel feeling more than a little uncomfortable about her behavior.

Harpuia and Phantom had been the most difficult to read of the lot. Ciel had grown to suspect that they had been acting on a misplaced sense of duty and loyalty, but the reason for such obedience still eluded her.

The fact that Harpuia, Fefnir and Leviathan had eventually defected in disgust and even joined in the final battle against Omega was not lost on her either. It had given her a small hope that they might finally start treading the path of their predecessor. Unfortunately they had disappeared after that, and the chaos leading to and following Ragnarok had not left her or Zero any time to investigate their whereabouts.

Though the petite genius still hoped that the Guardians would eventually reunite and fulfill the true purpose she had designed them for, she knew she had to focus on the present for the time being, and soon drafted a plan of action in her mind. Despite everything they had done, they were still her creations, and she felt responsible for them.

"You're going to need new bodies." Ciel said, the gears in her head already turning. "It's going to be a challenge without the facilities or resources I had at my original lab in Neo Arcadia… but we've been overcoming challenges from the start. Until we can put together worthy frames, maybe we can come up with something temporary."

"Not those Pantheon models, I hope." Zero said with a scowl of disdain. "Those things blow up with a sneeze and people would panic if they saw one or two of those running around."

"Maybe if we do something about the faces..." Ciel pondered, trying to push the cyclopean visages out of her mind. "But yes, they were mass produced mindless junk. Personally they gave me the creeps too."

"So you didn't design those?" Zero asked.

"Hell no!" Ciel protested, sounding almost offended at the notion. "Those were the copy's idea. It was a massive red flag when he started rolling them out of the production lines without telling me anything."

"Take your time." X said with a nod. "I'm not going anywhere."

"As for the design part..." Ciel said, before suddenly starting intently at Zero.

"W-What?" he stuttered, feeling a little awkward about the way she was running her gaze across his body from head to toe.

"I have a pretty good idea where to start." Ciel said, rubbing her hands and already getting fired up. "Take off that armor."

"Wait what?!" Zero asked incredulously, with a look on his face as if his brain had short circuited.

"Do you need us to give you some privacy?" X teased, earning a giggle from Alouette.

To hear the ever serious X crack a joke like that was definitely unexpected to Ciel, almost shocking. For his part, Zero, not knowing what to say, just stared at his old partner with his eyes wide as dinner plates.

"What?!" Ciel protested, her face turning full on red from the unexpected quip… and from the realization of how she had articulated her line of thought.

She paused for a moment, as if trying to process what had just happened, and then glared at X.

"G-Get your minds out of the gutter." she stuttered, covering her cheeks with her hands. "I-I have scans to run, templates to build. I still have copies of the scans of your original body and the design files from those five, but I know I can do better."

"To be fair, your choice of words could have used some work." Phantom said in his usual deadpan tone, which somehow managed to annoy her more than if he had simply laughed openly.

"_I've never seen this side of them…" _she thought, still perplexed. _"They're acting like teenage boys now that they're back together."_

Taking a deep breath to steady herself and let her face cool down again, Ciel ran to her room and returned moments later with a few electronic instruments.

"This will be… my true masterpiece!" she proclaimed.

* * *

The next morning, Zero dragged a pair of disabled standard Pantheon models to Cerveau's workshop, where the Chief Engineer was already working on a pair of modified heads closer to those of the originals. The actual definitive models would probably take months to assemble, especially given the amount of high quality components required, but Ciel was convinced the wait would be worth it.

"This all still feels a bit surreal, doesn't it?" Cerveau remarked as Zero set them down.

"It does." Zero said with a nod, unable to keep himself form smiling. "Just yesterday I was wondering if I'd ever see X again... and now he's home and he's brought company."

He couldn't help appreciating the irony that the standard Pantheon models, in their typical blue armor, were essentially an inferior, mass produced version of a flawed copy, but one of them would now be hosting the essence of the original, albeit temporarily. The fact that X and Phantom had transitioned into such a strange incorporeal state would make the process easier as the average Pantheon models had been designed as drones, incapable of independent thought, and had mostly been either controlled remotely or loaded with basic patrol and attack routines and let loose, attacking anyone in sight not whitelisted or bearing an identification token.

"I'm more worried about the fact that we're giving Phantom another body." Cerveau remarked. "I trust Ciel completely, but I hope she knows what she's doing."

"Worst case scenario, I just beat him again." Zero said, the smile gone from his face.

"No Busters on Phantom's temporary body either." Cerveau said. "Not without the unlock code."

A few hours later, as Ciel and Cerveau finished the assembly of the temporary frames, another figure in a typical green Resistance uniform stopped by the window of the shed unnoticed, watching intently.

"Ready." Ciel said, before activating the unit's reactor. "It won't be much good in actual combat, but hopefully that's well past us now."

X was the first to go, slipping into the repurposed Pantheon body that was now sporting a perfect reconstitution of his original corporeal face.

"_Oh yeah! The team's back together!"_ the figure outside thought as it watched, before running a gloved hand over its eyes. _"Good thing I stuck around."_

As the systems hummed to life and X opened his eyes opened on the new temporary body, Zero was once again overcome by emotion. Memories of the countless battles they had faced together, the times they'd returned home, battered but triumphant, and the unbreakable bond they had forged came rushing back, but he had no time to digest them. The present was more important.

Dashing across the distance, with moisture pooling in his eyes again, he got carried away to the point where he lifted X off the ground in a bear hug. Though the temporary body was severely limited in terms of sensory capabilities, thanks to the modified faceplate X was able to smile back, looking incredibly tired, but just as elated.

"Welcome back..." Zero said with a childlike smile. "Partner."

"_You guys..."_ the silent onlooker thought, leaning closer to the glass to take a better look.

"Glad to be home." X said. "But you may want to dial that down a bit before you snap this thing in half."

"Sorry..." Zero muttered, carefully putting him down.

X tested his motor control by wiggling his fingers, then hesitantly tried to walk. He'd spent so much time without the use of a body that the sensation of being back in one was leaving him slightly disoriented.

"This is going to take a little while getting used to." he said, carefully putting one foot in front of the other.

"Don't worry." Ciel said, patting X's shoulder despite knowing that the Pantheon models were extremely limited and that he would likely not be able to feel it. "You've got all the time in the world now."

"And this..." Zero added before lightly bonking his old friend in the head with his knuckles. "Is for the smartass comment. When did you get such a mouth on you anyway?"

"I guess I'm just… a little drunk with joy." X said with a soft laugh, feeling rather giddy.

Phantom quietly took his turn next, slipping into a body whose outer plating had been painted black to match his old armor. While not as prone to emotional outbursts as the others, he too felt the change. Not wanting to spoil the moment, he remained silent.


	8. On the Mend

Chapter 8 – On the Mend

"Well then..." Ciel said as she stepped out of the shed followed by X, Zero and Phantom. "Time for a proper welcome."

Phantom said nothing, wearing an inscrutable expression on his face.

"Getting second thoughts now?" Zero asked, watching him.

"I can't exactly blame him." X said, feeling somewhat nervous at the prospect of facing everyone.

Zero sighed, grabbed his partner and the Guardian by the back of their necks and started dragging them along.

"Hey!" X protested.

"Come on." Zero said, as if scolding a child. "This is for your own good."

"We are quite capable of walking, you know." Phantom said, rolling his eyes.

"Then stop dragging your feet and come along." Zero said, before letting them go.

Once again, Ciel quirked an eyebrow at their antics, but said nothing, opting to observe as she led them on a short tour of the small settlement. As for the Chief Engineer, he simply watched in quiet amusement, before shutting the door behind them.

A few dozen families were already living in the area, and more civilians kept steadily trickling in as the Resistance continued to secure the roads and other pathways in the region, keeping them safe from dangerous animals and leftover Neo Arcadian drones. The current residents knew it was inevitable that the settlement would continue to grow further and therefore continued pushing themselves as hard as they could in order to prepare for their new future. X took note of the ongoing work, which he had not had the time to look at on his way in, and felt a wave of relief.

"_Despite everything..." _he thought. _"People still endure. I'm glad."_

Along the way, they spotted Alouette, playing with some of the other children around her size, human and Reploid alike, together without any distinction. Even X found it difficult to tell them apart at a cursory glance. Much to his surprise though, as well as Zero's embarrassment, they found her wearing a layer of red cellophane wrapped around her pink dress, and twirling what looked like a wooden broomstick, painted green.

"Off we go!" she shouted excitedly, unaware that she was being watched, pointing the broomstick forward. "In the footsteps of the Messiah of Steel!"

Zero's eyes turned as wide as dinner plates as he witnessed the display.

"_Is this what she gets up to when she's not trying to play matchmaker?" _he thought, covering his face.

It was clear to him who exactly she was referring to, and though he wasn't too fond of the name after hearing Omega refer to himself as a messiah, he couldn't help feeling something else stirring in his chest alongside the discomfort.

"_Can robots even get heart attacks?" _he silently pondered. _"Even in that silly getup she still looks too damn cute."_

Next to him, X watched his reaction in silent amusement, while Ciel ran up to Alouette. Phantom remained absolutely silent, keeping his distance with an unreadable expression.

"What are you doing?" Ciel asked, glancing at the broomstick.

"Like you said before, Big Sis." Alouette replied with a cherubic smile. "Acting my age for a while longer."

She then pointed the broomstick down and let its tip rest on the earth.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to hit anyone with it." she added.

A sudden, random and bizarre thought crossed Ciel's mind at that moment, completely unbidden.

"_She almost looks like Zero's daughter wearing that… but what would that make… me?"_

She was definitely not prepared for that particular thought, and soon she too found herself covering her face, feeling a sudden rush of heat.

At this point, X couldn't contain himself any longer and just burst into laughter.

"Oh!" Alouette cried out, finally noticing him. "X!"

That definitely got the attention of the other children as well, and as she ran up to give him a hug they gathered around, excitedly chattering over each other and clamoring for his and Zero's attention.

Meanwhile, a figure in a typical Resistance uniform watched on from a distance, its face covered by white goggles. At the sight of the scene, it grinned.

"_Should have brought a camera… This is just priceless!"_

The children spent a good twenty minutes around the legendary pair, overflowing with excitement as they asked all kinds of random questions. Some time later, Rocinolle walked in.

"So this is where you all were." she realized with a smile. "Children, it's time for classes."

"Aw!" a small blonde boy in a green tracksuit pouted. "Do we have to?"

"Yes, you do." she said, firm but gentle. "You know how important this is."

The remaining children hesitated, but then Ciel stepped in, flashing her usual smile.

"Think of all the things you'll be able to do once you know how everything works." she said, pointing at her head. "I wasn't born like this, you know."

That seemed to work, as many of the children were in awe at her and Cerveau's technical prowess and the things they were able to build or repair with scavenged materials and random parts.

Seizing the initiative, Alouette took the lead and ushered the others along. Just before leaving, she looked over her shoulder at Ciel.

"See you later." she said with a giddy smile, already excited about spending the next few hours learning.

Rocinolle lingered a while longer before stepping up to X. He was a little nervous, but visibly relaxed as she patted his shoulder with one of her firm hands.

"Glad to have you back with us." she said with a smile.

"Thank you." X said. "Glad to be here."

"What did I tell you?" Phantom said, still absolutely deadpan. "Your past deeds were not forgotten."

The woman's round face then was marred by a frown as she looked at the Guardian.

"Of course we haven't forgotten." she said, eyeing him suspiciously. "Just as we haven't forgotten what you lot did, the good and the bad."

"I make no excuses." he said flatly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Trying to make amends… if you will let me."

"We lost plenty of good friends because of you lot." Rocinolle said with a glimmer of steel in her eyes. "But I also know you helped pull a lot of people out of Neo Arcadia before the end. If Zero, X and Ciel vouch for you, then I'll wait and see what you do next… but we'll be watching."

"Then watch." the Guardian said, his expression still inscrutable.

It was then that he surprised everyone present with a rare display of emotion, as a look of regret crept upon his face.

"We chose poorly. For that, I am sorry. All I can do now is offer my skills to your cause."

"I never thought I'd see the day..." Rocinolle said, caught by surprise.

With a strange look on her face, she walked away.

The four just stood there in uncomfortable silence before Ciel finally spoke up.

"I believe in what I said back there." she said. "In time, so will the others. But for now, let's keep going."

"Well then..." Cerveau said, finally catching up with the others as they reached the outdoors cooking area. "Shall we?"

"Yes." Ciel said. "Let's."

Cerveau nodded and reached for a handheld radio.

"All Area Zero patrols, come back. Ciel has an announcement to make."

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, about thirty people in Resistance uniforms finished getting in formation on the pathway between houses, facing the gathering area. While they were by no means an official military outfit, Ciel was impressed – and a little unsettled – by how well coordinated their movements had become when acting as a group over time. Pushing such thoughts aside, she addressed them.

"Thank you all for coming." she said, slightly more confident since the speech at the crater. "I have some exciting news for everyone."

She paused for a moment and then continued.

"Someone very important has returned to us, in order to help us figure out how to move forward. We've all grown up hearing tales of his heroics and his kindness, and now we have the opportunity to welcome him back."

"Your cue, partner." Zero said with a grin as he lightly shoved X out from behind a nearby house, where he had been hiding with a sudden bout of stage fright.

X yelped in surprise at the sudden push, but before he had time to register what was happening he found himself standing before a group of cheering soldiers, who were soon joined by civilians who were slowly trickling in.

"It's X!" one of them cried out.

"Welcome back!" another added.

In a matter of seconds he found himself completely surrounded by people patting his shoulders, lining up to shake his hand and giving them their heartfelt thanks for various things he had done at different points. X felt completely overwhelmed at the display, and likely would have ended up crying a little if his temporary body were capable of such a thing.

"_What did I tell you?"_ Phantom thought, watching from out of sight with a degree of smug satisfaction at being proven right.

One particularly cheeky redhead girl in uniform even tried to grab X for a kiss, before a larger man grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and pulled her aside for a scolding. For a moment Zero blinked in surprise.

"_Her again?! And now she's gunning for X?!"_

He then looked over his shoulder at Phantom.

"Aren't you going out there too?"

"Now is not the time." the Guardian said flatly. "Let him enjoy his moment in peace."

The Guardian then glanced around suspiciously as he heard a rustling nearby. A figure in uniform quickly ducked out of sight around the corner of another building.

"_Not yet." _the skulking figure thought. _"Glad to see you get a proper welcome X… but I'm not ready yet. What am I even going to say after all this time? Do you and Zero even… remember me?"_

* * *

A couple of hours later, after the crowd dispersed…

"Do you know why we chose this name for the place?" Ciel asked, looking at the Hunter pair.

"I can guess a couple of reasons." X said, smiling as he glanced at Zero.

"You wouldn't be wrong." Ciel admitted. "But also because this is a new beginning. A reset. The future we build here will be built with our own hands."

"Then let's get it right this time." X said. "So nobody has to go through those terrible things again."

"Never again." Ciel said with a nod and a determined look on her face.

"Never again." Zero echoed.

The next few days rolled along, as the plans for expansion continued to be implemented. Given the new project Ciel had taken up, she'd been forced to do the unthinkable and delegate.

"Come on Ciel." Zero said to her during one of the periodic status meetings, which he had taken to attending while X silently watched in the background. "Leave something for the others to do. They have the drafts, the materials, the tools and the people. Trust them."

"You're right, of course." she conceded. "Now then… on to the next order of business."

"We've been getting reports about survivors trying to scavenge materials from the Neo Arcadia crater." Aurelia said with a sigh. "Technically it's not stealing since a lot of them used to live there, but it's still an extremely dangerous place for the unprepared."

"Not only that, but..." Colbor added. "I'm sorry, but there's no easy way to say this. Some of our scouts also mentioned they had to stop a few survivors from jumping off the edge."

Ciel sighed, knowing very well that many people had lost the only home they'd ever known and might not be able to cope with it on their own. Zero squeezed her hand reassuringly and spoke his piece.

"We can't cordon off the entire area like some would probably want to, and we don't have the manpower to keep everyone out even if we had the right..." he reasoned. "But we can't let them do such a pointless thing."

"We'll see to this." Astra said. "We can't let you do all the work, and even you can't be everywhere at once."

"I'm impressed." Ciel said after the meeting, after the three had moved to a more private area. "You've been more outspoken lately."

"I have no interest in being a leader." Zero said. "But I used to be a commander back in my Hunter days, and I know the only way we're going to have a future is by getting everyone to work together."

"I remember you used to hate those briefings." X said with a smile.

"It's true that I was usually more focused on taking action." Zero conceded with a nod. "The times are changing though. At this rate maybe I'll actually… end up hanging up my saber for good."

"_I hope to be able to see that day." _X thought. _"You of all people definitely deserve it."_

"What about you, X?" Ciel asked.

"I have no idea." X said "After what happened last time I should probably stay away from any kind of leadership position.

"I'm the sword and you're the shield." Zero said, before patting his old partner's back. "Let the others sort the rest out. We'll make sure they stay safe."

Zero then turned to Ciel.

"Never forget. People like me exist so people like you can do what needs to be done."

"What kind of logic is that?" she asked. "Surely you must have some goals and dreams of your own."

"I do." Zero said. "To see you achieve yours."

"After everything you've done..." Ciel said, unsure what to say. "After everything you've endured… is there nothing you want for yourself?"

"Peace." Zero said. "Peace will do."

"Is that all?" Ciel asked, tilting her head slightly.

"We… I've been seeing a lot more smiles around here lately." Zero admitted. "That also counts as a nice reward. Especially yours and Alouette's."

His words made another rush of heat bloom in her face.

For his part, X abstained from teasing them again, instead showing a smile of his own.

"That's just how we are." he said. "We never asked for anything for ourselves. Once, we dared to dream about a different kind of personal happiness, but that was taken away from us."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"Remember how we lost so many friends and companions?" X asked, before letting out a sad sigh. "Just as bad as outright losing someone… is not knowing what happened to them at all."

"I'm guessing there's a story behind that." Ciel said.

"Let me tell you about Alia… one of our best and brightest. You actually remind me of her in a few ways."

Zero glanced at his old partner sympathetically.

"_I guess I'm not the only one hung up on the past..." _he thought.

* * *

Outside, the improvement plans were proceeding on schedule, and what once been dirt paths in the central area of the settlement were now orderly cobblestone paths. The spot where people frequently gathered to cook meals out in the open had been further cleaned and expanded and was sporting a set of metal tables and chairs so people wouldn't need to carry their own back and forth. Some houses were showing an additional floor in various states of construction while some people had taken to planting flower seeds along the front and back of their homes. Stripes of earth had been strategically left untouched, with the thought of running additional power lines, cabling and pipes later, but for the time being the people were focused on immediate needs such as food, water and living space. Between Ciel's energy production system and the solar panels mounted on the rooftops, they had enough reserves to last for a year or two.

* * *

A few more weeks passed, during which Zero alternated between helping Ciel and Alouette with their tasks, showing X and Phantom around and sneaking off to pick up more fresh fruit and berries in the middle of the night.

On a slow summer day, Ciel was sitting in the workshop, assembling some of the more delicate components by hand. She had finally gotten around to moving the last of her lab equipment from the old Resistance base, and was intent on making full use of it. A set of large monitors mounted on her desk were displaying schematics from her scans of X's original body, the copy's design files and scans of Zero's body, which to her surprise had turned out to be extremely similar to X's.

"Don't forget that this is Zero's second body." X had said to her after she'd finished the initial scans and remarked on the similarities. "The original was lost to the virus and this one was based both on the original and my own."

It dawned on Ciel that things were going full circle, as she was now drawing ideas from Zero's frame to build a new permanent vessel for X's consciousness. She had also entertained the notion of drawing upon data from the Four Guardians, but X had never been built as a war machine, and she did not feel comfortable taking the new design in that direction.

After finishing the assembly of another tiny electronic component with precision tools, Ciel carefully set it down and lifted the magnifying eyepiece off her face.

"Another one down." she said with a satisfied look. "Ten more to go."

She then grabbed the mouse plugged into the computer and pulled up a status readout from the automated fabricators she had programmed with a precise set of instructions the previous day. With a nod, she closed the window. Scavenged components would not do for this. She wanted to personally vouch for every single one of them, and that meant producing them from scratch. The main bottleneck was raw materials, which meant she would need to scour the old production facilities, storage silos and mines scattered throughout the countryside.

"I'm impressed." X said as he took a look at her work. "My maker's designs left scientists and engineers scratching their heads for centuries. Some devices back when I was first awakened couldn't even get any readings at all. Dr. Cain was only able to gain a limited understanding of my systems."

X then recalled something and started counting with his fingers.

"In fact, other than Dr. Light, I think you may be the fourth person able to fully understand this."

"The first would have been your maker, right?" Ciel asked as she continued her work. "Who would be the other two?"

"The first was someone we'll probably speak about at length later." X said. "A woman who lived through the Elf Wars. In fact, I'm almost sure you're related."

"Oh?" Ciel asked. "What makes you say that?"

"Zero's memories may not be fully restored just yet, but I never lost mine. The resemblance is too striking to be just a coincidence." X explained as he pulled up another chair and sat on it.

"We worked closely together at the time, though I don't know what became of her later. She was responsible for helping build the body Zero has now, when the Maverick Virus was consuming the original and we couldn't find an alternative."

"Are you serious?!" Zero interjected, remembering some of the dreams he had been having. "So that woman I saw..."

"She was quite fond of you, you know." X said with a smile.

Then he turned his gaze to Ciel.

"I guess some things run in the family." he added.

"Huh?" Ciel asked, trying to pretend she didn't understand what he was talking about even as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"Zero was always like this." X said with a chuckle. "Driven, intense. The kind of guy people start looking up to... but he was usually focused on work and duty."

Then X's expression hardened considerably.

"My fight against Sigma was based on simple facts. I rejected his twisted ideology and the way he wanted to dispose of humanity and set himself up as some kind of god-king. I had to protect everyone from his madness. Zero, on the other hand, absolutely hated him on a more personal level on top of that. The bastard hurt him in a way that isn't easily forgotten."

Ciel glanced between the two, understanding that there was a deep and painful history behind his reaction and the previous panic attack. She had never seen Zero so disturbed, and hoped never to see him like that again.

"There were other reasons too." X added. "Mostly tied to our history, even if we only got the full picture much later. Have you heard of a man named Albert Wily?"

"I… can't say I have." she admitted.

"Then we have a lot to talk about." Zero said with a frown. "But you're probably not going to like a lot of it."

Ciel was already familiar with some of the legendary duo's history, but there were clearly many parts that had been lost to the passing of time. Hearing the whole story directly from the source was definitely a rare opportunity.

"In fact..." Zero added. "I wonder if your opinion of me is going to change once you know as much as we do. Records from back then are sketchy at best, and a lot of this happened before we were ever activated, but for all I know he was an insane monster… and… my maker."

Ciel was definitely surprised by that. He had never mentioned his creator before, and it was clear that this was a sore subject. She couldn't help wondering what he could have done for Zero to refer to him in such terms.

"Tell me Ciel." X said. "Have you ever heard of a city called Megalopolis?"

"The jewel of the old world?" Ciel recalled. "Yes. Supposedly it was one of the biggest cities ever built centuries ago, but nobody knows where exactly it is and many wonder if it ever existed at all."

"It did exist." X said with a nod. "Before this entire succession of cataclysms and wars, it was a place bustling with life. There were actually two versions of it, in fact."

"Oh?" Ciel interjected.

"They were both built in the same location, one on top of the ruins of the other." X clarified. "I never saw the original with my own eyes, but my maker left a considerable amount of capsules with a holographic AI interface scattered around and a few backup computers with records of what happened back then."

"For some reason, those capsules usually ended up exactly where they were needed." Zero pointed out. "At places where X or I would end up finding them. We always wondered why. Nobody could have planned that far ahead, especially seeing how they usually contained recorded messages and upgrade parts for him."

"Even after all this time, I'm still putting some of the pieces together, but I'm sure about a few facts." X said. "The city was real, and it was the home of my maker, a renowned roboticist by the name of Thomas Light… and those who came before me. My siblings."

"Your siblings?" Ciel asked. "You… have a family?"

"This was long before my time." X clarified. "My maker was afraid of what might happen if I were awakened prematurely, before the reliability of my systems and moral compass could be fully tested. Given what happened to Reploids, his concerns were not unjustified. From what I understand, there was an entire group of precursors to Reploids that were created by my maker."

He leaned back on his chair and furrowed his brow.

"The most notable among them were called the Robot Masters, each of them custom built for a specific purpose… though some of the designs make me wonder what exactly that purpose might have been. More importantly though, there were three others. I don't even know what they looked like, only their names. The first of the line, Blues, with the code name Proto Man. My sister Roll, reputedly a kind soul and deadly with a broom. And then there was Rock, though the world at large knew him by another name."

Zero blinked, once again feeling another memory fragment clicked into place.

"Mega Man." he recalled. "I remember. After Sigma was finally gone, X and I went on a trip, trying to find out more about our origins. We found more of those capsules and a few ruined facilities, buried deep underground, but they looked like secondary outposts or maybe emergency resupply stations. The long and short of it is that his old man once had a research partner who went crazy and tried to reprogram the Robot Masters for world domination. Not very original, I know. Now this Rock… he..."

Zero felt a bout of dizziness as more memories returned, and sat down on a nearby one seat couch.

"From what we gathered, he was a lab assistant." X continued. "Never intended for combat. But he had a trait that Zero and I share. He couldn't just sit around doing nothing while Dr. Wily went on his rampage. So he asked our maker to modify him, to give him the means to fight back. The weapon replication system I used was originally developed for him. My Buster was also an upgraded version of his. And so, much like Zero and I, he fought, and fought, and fought."

"He was a little too effective for his own good." Zero chimed in. "Wily was a sore loser and kept cooking various schemes to try to get rid of this threat. All of them failed, though we don't know half the details. Eventually he switched from tampering with other people's robots to building his own, but that didn't help. Then he tried to step up his game. The result of that was Bass, a robot who hated his guts more than anyone else and developed a weird rivalry with Rock… and then… there was me."

"You?" Ciel asked. "Then you were…?"

"I was supposed to be Wily's final middle finger to the world." Zero said with contempt. "Stuffed in a capsule, pumped full of the Maverick Virus and sealed in a bunker somewhere, like a time bomb. From all accounts, I made quite a bit of a mess when that thing was finally opened. I was mindless. Berserk. I can't remember what happened back then, but Wily wanted to cause as much destruction as he could."

Zero then let out a sigh.

"Then, the unexpected happened, and I was eventually knocked out cold by one particular Maverick Hunter commander. Big, burly, bald… and whatever he may have been like back then, I always knew him as a hard-ass or an outright bastard. Sigma."

"You're kidding, right?" Ciel asked incredulously.

"Sigma was my mentor back when I started at the Hunters." X said with a nod. "Nobody realized it at the time, but the virus hidden inside Zero ended up spilling out, infecting Sigma and warping his mind. I don't know if the virus changed him completely or if it simply blew his worst aspects out of proportion, but the end result was the same."

X rested his chin on his fist, in a very human way despite the limited sensory feedback his temporary body was capable of.

"A protector of the people became a terrorist… and then some kind of devil. A supposed doomsday weapon was left in a blank state, without a place in the world… and then ended up becoming a hero in his own right… and my best friend."

"Wily would be spinning in his grave." Zero said with a scoff, before cracking a slight grin. "Or doing backflips."

But then his expression hardened.

"But in a way, he still got what he wanted. Chaos and destruction. Even without the virus, Sigma was always a charismatic bastard and a lot of humans and Reploids resented each other. It didn't take much to push some groups to violence. Eventually he also figured out a way to move between bodies, take direct control of others, and he kept coming back time and again, in a bunch of different forms."

"Only to be finally betrayed by one of his co-conspirators and destroyed for good on the Moon, where he had nothing else to take over." X added.

The pair reminisced about a few more things until eventually, the conversation died down. X stepped outside to check up on something and Ciel found herself left alone with Zero.

"_Something is still bothering him..." _she thought. _"Not much else I can do now but this."_

She gathered her courage and walked up to him.

"I won't pry." she said, before patting Zero's shoulder. "I know there are things in your past still bothering you. I'm the same as you in that regard. If and when you feel you can open up, I'll be here."

"Thanks." he said simply.

"_And sorry for the hassle."_ he thought. _"I can't give you what you want. Not… yet."_

* * *

Elsewhere…

In front of the crater where Neo Arcadia had once stood, two strange figures were standing side by side, surveying the destruction.

The first was clad from head to toe in a strange white suit of armor, that looked like a cross between a medieval knight and futuristic flair, without any visible seams. Through the black visor on the helmet, it looked into the seemingly bottomless crater as the red cloak on its back fluttered in the wind.

"What a depressing sight..." the figure said in a male voice, crossing its arms.

The young woman next to him consulted some sort of device on her left wrist and then closed her blue eyes for a moment, clearly uncomfortable about being in such a place as well.

"The scans will take another forty-eight hours." she said. "There are plenty of other places we can check out until then."

She seemed to be in her late teens or early adulthood, with a soft face and statuesque proportions. Long golden hair cascaded down her back, over her outfit – a white armored vest and plated boots with matching wristguards over a blue body glove.

"You're absolutely right." the armored figure said. "The wilderness nearby looked gorgeous from above."

She then looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"Are you seriously going to keep wearing that while we're here? All the time?"

"I find it... comfortable." he said flatly.

"You know the air is fine, and we shouldn't run into any trouble here." she insisted, before taking a deep breath as if to illustrate her point.

"No harm in being prepared, is there?"

She let out an annoyed sigh and then glared at him.

"This is you right now." she said before making some exaggerated noises, imitating someone breathing through a respirator.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." he retorted, deepening his voice for added effect.

In response, she lightly slapped the top of his helmet from behind.

"Why do I put up with you anyway?" she asked, shaking her head… though the smile in her face told a different story.

And with that, they turned and left.


	9. A Face in the Crowd

Chapter 9 – A Face in the Crowd

One morning, as Ciel once again got to work on the components for X's new body, Phantom stepped into the workshop.

"I have made up my mind." he said.

"Meaning?" Zero asked from his spot, leaning against a wall as he watched Ciel work.

"The immediate safety of this place is assured, and this reconstruction will likely take a few more months with the current resources at hand." Phantom clarified. "I cannot remain idle for that long."

"So what do you have in mind?" Ciel asked, momentarily lifting her gaze away from the workbench.

"Tracking down the others, for a start." Phantom said. "As I mentioned before, they may not want to be found, which means the longer we delay, the more difficult it may be to find them."

"You're in no condition to run off on your own." Zero pointed out. "At least let me get Cerveau to-"

"Unlock the crude Buster mounted in this frame?" Phantom cut him off. "I have no need for it."

"So you knew?" Zero asked.

"I was one of the Four Guardians, after all." Phantom said. "While we found the Pantheon rather distasteful in their crude mindlessness, they had their uses. Only a fool uses a weapon without knowing its capabilities."

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Because asking for access to weapons when you have only just begun trying to earn someone's trust is a great way to arouse suspicion?" Phantom pointed out. "In fact, I was tempted to sever this frame's Buster arm just to make sure that there was no room for pointless misunderstandings… but that would have been ungrateful of me and would have diminished my usefulness further."

"You really are crazy..." Zero said, shaking his head. "Giving yourself a handicap like that when you're already in a throwaway body?"

"While I admit that this body is… somewhat limited..." Phantom conceded. "It is also easy to replace if anything happens. Furthermore, I still have my stealth and scouting skills and this region is mostly tranquil now. If all goes well, I should have no need to engage in combat at all."

"And what happens if you run into trouble in the wilderness or in some ruin?" Ciel pointed out.

"Should the worst come to pass, I can simply discard this shell and return here." Phantom said dismissively.

"On one condition." X said as he stepped into the building. "Well, two. The first is that you take a radio in case something happens."

"And the second?" Phantom asked.

"Don't do anything too crazy." X said evenly.

The faintest semblance of a grin crept over the Guardian's face.

"I cannot make any promises in that regard, given who I was based on."

"But..." Ciel interjected.

"Make no mistake." Phantom said. "I have no desire to be trapped in an incorporeal state again. Hopefully that will not happen seeing how Master X saw fit to share some of his knowledge with me."

"I thought I'd told you not to call me that." X grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Yet… I will never be your equal." Phantom said, again surprising the others. "My original body was masterfully crafted and I have no doubt the new one will be at least as impressive… but I still lack something you and Zero possess."

"What are you talking about?" Ciel asked. "I did not intentionally limit the Guardians in any way."

"No, you did not." Phantom said somberly. "What we became was our responsibility, for better and for worse. Perhaps there are minuscule variations in our personality cores that contributed to the end result, but the choices were ours. Until I can determine what I lack… I will never come close to the pinnacle these two stand at."

"_I guess that copy was not the only one with identity and self-worth issues." _X pondered, confirming what he had already suspected for some time.

Much like humans had done in prior centuries before X's awakening provided the template from which all other Reploids emerged, the subject of the soul had been endlessly debated among organic and synthetic alike. In the case of Reploids, the personality core housed the processors and other systems that formed and solidified their sense of self, their memories and other faculties that made them so close to humans in function as well as form. It was commonly held that as machines, Reploids had no souls, yet there were countless cases where some remnant of their personality had lingered after the destruction of their physical bodies. The infamous Sigma was one such example, alongside X and Phantom.

"I guess there's no way to talk you out of this then?" Ciel asked.

"I need to make myself useful." Phantom said. "I have not forgotten what you said about making amends, but completing this task will help in that regard. Besides… I must admit… it's been far too long since..."

"You miss them." Ciel said, reading his intent despite the blank expression he insisted on presenting.

"I… suppose I do." Phantom conceded, somewhat surprised.

Ciel sighed, then got up, before picking up a small portable two way radio with a carry on strap from a nearby storage closet and handing it to him.

"Do what you need to do." she said. "Just come back in one piece and call if anything goes wrong."

"I… thank you..." he managed to say, at a loss for words, before accepting the radio and wrapping the strap around his arm.

Phantom looked around one last time, then turned away.

"I will… inform you as soon as there is something to report."

And with that, he left.

The truth of the matter was, Phantom had always defined his sense of worth by his ability to fulfill his duty. The humiliation brought about by his defeat at Zero's hands had shattered that notion, driving him to destroy his own physical body in an impulsive attempt to avenge his wounded pride. That, in his mind, was supposed to have been the end of it. His involuntary stay in the Cyberworld and the events following it had left him unbound, free to choose a different path, but the hesitant acceptance and even kindness he had been shown still surprised him.

"Well then..." Zero said with a sigh. "That got a bit heavy. What do you say we go outside and get some fresh air?"

"That sounds like a good idea." Ciel said. "You two go on ahead. I'll join you as soon as I finish this part. Fifteen minutes at most."

"OK." Zero said with a nod. "We'll wait for you in front of my place."

And with that, X and Zero did just that, with X taking the time to stop here and there along the way to enjoy the chirping of birds. The day was quiet, tranquil, perfect. Even with his sensory capabilities diminished by the temporary form he was wearing, he relished such simple pleasures after such a long time deprived of a body and the company of those dear to him.

* * *

"So…" Zero said as they finally sat down. "Once we clear that hurdle of getting you back in gear, you're going to need a place to stay. I mean, you can keep using mine, but..."

X knew exactly what he wanted to say in reply, but he held his tongue, not wanting Ciel to overhear him. Instead he looked at the clear sky.

"It's funny." X said. "To think that we went from worrying about world ending threats to talking about simpler things such as construction and living space."

"Give it a couple of years and I guarantee things are going to start picking up speed." Zero remarked. "You know how good Ciel and Cerveau are at getting things done by now."

"I just wonder..." X said. "I wonder what our place is going to be in the new tomorrow."

Zero shrugged.

"Whatever we want it to be. I've been doing a lot of thinking about that myself. Assuming nothing else happens and that we manage to avoid being put in charge of things, we have a whole world to see again."

"There's… one thing that's been on my mind." X said.

"Just one?" Zero asked with a grin. "That's new."

"We never did find out what happened to Alia and some of the others..."

"I miss them too." Zero admitted, his expression turning serious. "But in your case, I can guess why you're thinking about her in particular."

X didn't say anything for a moment.

"Some people don't understand you." Zero added. "They thought you were too soft or too indecisive. They didn't see how hard you tried, how intensely you felt everything."

"What does that have to do with Alia?"

"It has everything to do with Alia." Zero said with a knowing smile. "You were always busting your ass, trying to make everyone happy, keep everyone safe… even if it meant neglecting yourself. I remember how you two looked at each other. But… did you ever tell her?"

"I think… she knew at some level." X said, closing his eyes.

"Damnit X..." Zero grumbled, planting the palm of his hand on his face. "Don't tell me you stayed quiet until the end."

"The opportunity kept slipping between my fingers." X said with a sigh. "Either one of us was working or too tired to talk about such serious things, or we couldn't find enough time alone without interruptions… or I was getting repaired again. After we got rid of Sigma and returned from our little road trip I had finally made up my mind to sit down and have a long talk with her."

"And then…?" Zero asked, already getting the feeling he wasn't going to like the next part.

"Then the Elf Wars started and it was back to work for all of us, remember?"

"If memory serves, Hunter HQ was wiped out right before the end of the Elf Wars…" Zero recalled. "Not long before I went under."

"Yes..." X said with a sigh. "And I never saw her again. Over the years, I tried to find out what happened to her, but… once again I got caught up trying to sort the mess and ensure the world had a future… and then I lost the use of my body after sealing the Dark Elf."

"You really are a dumbass sometimes, you know that?" Zero remarked, rolling his eyes.

X stayed silent again.

"Then again..." Zero added. "So am I."

"I don't know what I was thinking." X said, lowering his head. "I kept telling myself – one more mission and I'll talk to her. Let me just deal with this problem and I'll talk to her. I guess I was a coward."

"You were never a coward." Zero snapped. "What are you talking about?"

"I… I didn't even realize it at first." X explained. "Our lives were so full of daily insanity that it took me a long time to understand. But eventually I realized a simple truth. She meant the world to me… and the intensity of those feelings was almost terrifying. I was scared of botching it… or losing her in some random incident. Or even worse, making her a target by association."

"_You mean like what happened to Iris..."_ Zero thought bitterly. _"Did that bastard influence Repliforce back then just because they were the most convenient puppets at the time… or to get at me as well?"_

"So what are you going to do about it now?" Zero asked.

"I keep thinking that it's time to start planning another trip out there." X said. "Give it another try and put the matter to rest once and for all. But… I'm scared of what I might uncover."

X leaned forward, placing his elbows on his legs and resting his head on his hands.

"What if I never find her? What if I'm too late and she never made it?"

"You won't find her for sure if you just sit here." Zero pointed out. "It's about time you did something for yourself instead of just throwing your life away for duty's sake. We have enough people here to defend ourselves while you're away."

"I'm not going anywhere for the time being." X said. "It would be a massive dick move to run off again so soon after catching up with you. I also still have to finish piecing together all the bits of information. Not to mention my search will take me through dangerous places. I'll need to be at full strength for this… inside and out."

"Fine." Zero said. "Ciel is already working on your new body and I'll help you shake the rust off your skills. But after that… no more excuses."

"So that's what happened." Ciel chimed in as she finally caught up with them and sat next to the two.

She then cast a long glance at X.

"You just keep surprising me." she said. "The stories never mentioned that side of you."

"_I honestly don't know what I would have done in your place..."_ she thought with a pang of sadness. _"Even legends have a heart… and you've given so much of yourself to the world."_

"There's a lot that never went into the records." X said. "I guess Zero isn't the only one who worries that some people might think less of him if they knew the full story."

X then sighed.

"Some legend I turned out to be huh?"

"You did what you could with what you had." Ciel retorted, shaking her head. "I'm the one who made a mess of things after all your hard work."

"Oh come on you two!" Zero scolded. "We're finally on the mend and things are looking up. This is supposed to be a happy occasion and here you are, putting yourselves down."

"You do have a point..." Ciel conceded.

"You and X have always had this in common, along with a few other things." Zero remarked with a sigh. "It's about time you started showing yourselves the same patience and forgiveness you show everyone else."

"I… You're right." X muttered.

"Damn right I am." Zero said, before lightly bonking his old friend on the head. This gesture elicited a slight smile from X.

"Heh."

"What?" Zero asked.

"You have no idea how great it feels to see the old you again." X said with a fond smile. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you bounce back like this. You were usually the one talking some sense into me when I started faltering."

"That's what friends are for, dumbass." Zero said with a scoff. "Now if you'd just actually listen to me..."

"_This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them." _Zero thought, mystified and amused at how he had ended up with both X and Ciel leaning on him for support. Him, the intended doomsday weapon, the one who had once been referred to as Ancient God of Destruction. _"Though one of them is admittedly cuter than the other. Eh, what am I going to do? I guess I just can't leave these two alone."_

Watching the two shift from serious conversation to playful banter so smoothly and witnessing how well they clicked together, Ciel couldn't help smiling. She had seen rare flashes of Zero's softer side, but his mood was definitely improving since X's return and, at least in her eyes, he seemed to be becoming more expressive and somewhat less burdened by the past. She was beginning to understand how the two had achieved so many great things together.

In fact, a tiny portion of her couldn't help feeling just the tiniest bit jealous of their connection… or wondering if some of the more outrageous rumors she had heard about their relationship had a grain of truth.

"_No, let's not go there..." _she thought, her face turning a slight shade of pink.

"You two aren't getting rid of me anytime soon." Zero said with a sudden grin. "So get it through your heads. I'm not giving up until both of you are sorted out."

And with that, he pulled both of them closer with one arm each, catching Ciel by surprise and leaving her with a sudden shortness of breath.

* * *

Meanwhile, someone else was watching them.

"_Come on! They're right there! Enough stalling!" _the figure in green thought.

With that, it took a deep breath and snuck as close as possible without making a sound.

"_It would be a dick move to interrupt now though..." _it thought, stopping in its tracks.

"_Enough already! Just do it. Come on! Deep breath… One… two..."_

* * *

"I thought I'd find you here." a voice said.

X and Zero turned and saw a male Reploid of indeterminate age, wearing the typical green Resistance uniform. He seemed rather unremarkable, with short brown hair, a plain face that was easy to forget in a crowd and a slim but otherwise average build, but as he removed his goggles there was something about his eyes and facial expression that seemed awfully familiar to the two.

The two former Hunters exchanged glances, feeling a strange sense of deja vu.

"Do you need something, Captain Revenu?" Ciel asked, clearly recognizing the man but still slightly confused by his presence. The fact that Zero still had an arm wrapped around her did not help matters, as she was not used to such displays in front of others.

To her surprise, the newcomer simply laughed heartily, with his voice suddenly shifting in pitch until it resembled that of a teenage boy. At this point, X and Zero finally realized what was going on.

"_No way..."_ Zero thought.

"_I know that voice..." _X thought.

"Sorry Doc, but that isn't my name." the soldier said, taking his beret off with a grin as his hair started visibly growing longer and spikier and taking on a shade of red.

To Ciel's surprise, he then spun around and made a rather exaggerated dramatic pose as his facial structure began to shift as well… into the form of another familiar face from the Hunters' past.

"You thought I was the dashing and ridiculously handsome Captain Revenu, soldier of the Resistance." the soldier said, closing his eyes with a smile, as he rested his chin on his right fist, his face taking on the appearance of a teenage boy with an X-shaped scar right above his nose.

"When in fact it was me..." he continued, now grinning ear to ear.

"Axl." Zero said flatly, before lightly bonking him over the head. Despite the gesture, however, Zero was clearly smiling.

"Hey! Don't ruin my entrance you jerk!" Axl protested in mock outrage, suddenly opening his eyes. "I spent ages rehearsing it in my head!"

"That was… unexpected." X said. "All this time you were hiding in plain sight?"

"Wait, you know him?" Ciel asked, somewhat confused.

"You could say that, yes." Zero said, once again caught in the flow of memories, but this time still firmly in the present. "This rascal here is Axl. An old companion from our days as Hunters."

He then cast a long look at the trickster Reploid, the prankster and overeager rookie who had grated on his nerves before eventually earning the pair's recognition and becoming the third member of the team. There was definitely something different about him from the Axl he recalled, however, and he soon realized what. His bearing, his posture, the determined look in his eyes, now tempered by experience and confidence. He was no longer the cocky, overeager boy that X and Zero remembered.

"You've… changed." X remarked, having clearly noticed as well. "You may still have the same face, but it looks like you've done a lot of growing up while we weren't looking."

"Well, what did you expect?" Axl asked with a shrug as he sat next to the others. "With you two gone, someone had to step up to the plate. I was there too when both of you went to sleep, and I knew someone had to keep watch over the world in your place."

He then smirked and gave Zero a shameless grin.

"Incidentally, congratulations on the good taste. The Doc here is a real cutie."

Ciel blinked and turned a shade of pink.

"I retract my previous statement." X said, borrowing a page from Phantom's Handbook of Deadpan Snark.

"Definitely still a goofball." Zero added with a nod.

"Oh come on!" Axl said in mock outrage. "Do you have any idea how boring it was to pretend to be a straight laced soldier all this time so I wouldn't blow my cover?"

"So what exactly have you been up to all this time?" X asked.

"I've been around." Axl explained. "Here and there, across half the world. I wanted to see just how bad things were out there and figure out what I could do about it, so I traveled in disguise. After that, I returned to Neo Arcadia just in time for that last stupid Maverick resurgence."

Axl sighed and frowned as he looked at his old partners and mentors.

"I watched Ciel step up to try to make things right again and how instead they went horribly wrong. I saw people turning on each other and taking a dump on the example you guys and our old pals had tried to set. I was definitely not happy about it."

In his eyes, they saw a mixture of conflicting emotions. Grief, anger, hope, joy. The words just kept pouring out of his mouth.

"When Ciel finally decided she'd had enough and left, I slipped into the Resistance and made myself useful as a spy, trying to mess that damn copy's schemes as much as I could until the time was right to finally take the bastard down. Then you two came back. A Cyber Elf and an amnesiac."

A sad look crept upon his face as he continued.

"I couldn't bear to see you in that state, and I wasn't even sure if either of you would remember me. So I kept my cover and continued doing my work, until I could find a way to make things right. I also shadowed the good Doc here now and then, just to make sure she stayed safe."

Suddenly, his expression changed again, and he looked like he was on the verge of tears, like the young boy he still mostly appeared to be despite the centuries that had passed.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you back to your old selves. It's been… rough without you around."

"You may be in for a bit of a disappointment." Zero said. "After all of this, I do think some of us have changed. Maybe a bit too much."

"On the contrary." Axl retorted. "You got your old fire back, this much I can tell. I've been watching you ever since Ciel rang your alarm clock."

"Is that so?" Zero asked.

"You're definitely looking happier these days, more than I've seen in a very long time." Axl insisted. "You've been through much, just like the rest of us, but at the core you're still the same soft-hearted badass I remember from back in the day."

"Soft-hearted, you say?" Ciel asked with a sudden smile. "I believe you and I have much to discuss then."

Somehow, since they'd first met she had always known that there was more to Zero than met the eye, beyond the legend that often reached fairly ludicrous heights.

He usually wasn't very talkative or expressive, but even before the change in his general mood brought about by X's return she still had noticed a lot of small, subtle things about the way he acted. How he would go out of his way to help random people with issues both big and small, from gathering energy crystals for someone else to searching for Alouette's misplaced toys or missing people without needing to be asked. He had been doing this sort of thing since shortly after his awakening.

Though she had undeniably first searched for him out of desperation in the face of overwhelming adversity, there were other things about him that often left her feeling lightheaded and even a little giddy in his presence. Alas, he seemed unwilling – or perhaps unable – to completely let his guard down most of the time. This frustrated her at times, since she could often catch glimpses of something else in his reactions, but she understood that he had his own issues to deal with, much as she often struggled with her guilt over the events surrounding Neo Arcadia. In the middle of all that, however, there was a truth she recognized. His presence made everything better and eased the burden on her heart.

Ciel was still young, but she was already aware of what was happening to her. She did not dare say it out loud, but she knew. One day, she hoped he would acknowledge it.

"_I completely underestimated you." _she thought as she glanced adoringly at Zero. _"I didn't know what to expect back then, but… definitely not that you'd end up becoming my pillar of strength."_

"Doc, you're spacing out." Axl teased with a chuckle.

"Ah!" Ciel cried out, startled out of her thoughts.

"Shame on you Zero..." Axl said with his usual lack of subtlety, before letting out another laugh. "Leaving the Doc in such a state. Then again, the ladies always went crazy around you. Must be the hair. I'll have to step up my game if-"

Such blunt shamelessness definitely left Ciel at a loss for words, not to mention struggling to stay composed.

"Let's not go there." Zero grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Right." Axl said, his expression turning serious for a change. "I probably shouldn't tease you like this. I know it happened before my time, but I still heard the stories."

"That's really none of y-" Zero tried to protest, one of his eyes twitching nervously.

"Hey, I get it dude." Axl interrupted, raising his hands placatingly. "That kind of shit tends to mess people up. But don't you think it's about time you gave it another go? Maybe I'm running my mouth, but I think she wouldn't want you to keep acting like that forever."

"_What?" _Ciel thought. _"She?"_

Ciel wanted to ask what that was all about. She wanted to ask badly. But Zero's earlier panic attack and his pained reaction after Axl had brought up the subject told her that it wasn't an easy subject to approach. Instead, she did the only thing she could for the time being, and patted Zero's back.

"Like I said before, I won't pry." she said earnestly. "If and when you feel ready to get it off your chest..."

"Thanks." Zero said with a nod, visibly relaxing under her touch.

"_It's not fair for you..."_ he thought bitterly. _"Axl may still be a loose tongued little troll but he has a point. I have to get my shit together."_

Though painfully aware of his inability to move forward, at least for the time being, he could not bring himself to push her away. Part of him knew exactly why Axl's on the nose comments had struck a nerve, even if he was reluctant to dwell on the matter. In one way or another, and much like X, he had spent most of his life fighting for others. Their personal feelings and needs had often been relegated to the background.

"_If you're a coward, X, then what am I?" _he thought. _"Ciel is right here and I still can't open up."_

"Come on guys!" Axl said, shifting back into high gear as if he had spent centuries saving up all his usual energy for the right moment. "This isn't a funeral. Now isn't the time to be making such serious faces. The old team is together again!"

Then Axl excitedly hopped off the bench and started shadow boxing of all things.

"Look out world!" he shouted excitedly. "The three amigos are back!"

"_Good grief..." _Zero thought. _"It looks like the peace and quiet are over. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't good to see this little troll again though."_

The three, accompanied by Ciel, ended up spending the rest of the day reminiscing and sharing stories of their past with her, with Axl steering the conversation to the amusing and bizarre episodes of their lives and away from the gloom. His enthusiasm was contagious and they ended up enjoying some sorely needed laughter over their antics, from the time Axl had dared some of the female recruits to sneak into Zero's quarters and steal a single strand of his hair while he was asleep to the two weeks of full on prank wars between the two that had culminated in a reprimand from Signas – totally worth it in Axl's opinion.

* * *

A few hours later, Alouette, who had gone looking for them, ended up sticking around as well, fascinated by the tales of the past and delighted to hear about their antics. To their surprise, it turned out that Axl had a bit of a talent for entertaining children, and soon the younger Reploid found herself utterly enthralled, much like Ciel. With their heartaches forgotten for the time being, they tried to enjoy the momentary tranquility and gather their strength for the challenges the near future would bring.


	10. The Path Forward

Chapter 10 – The Path Forward

A few more days passed, during which Axl made sure to regale Ciel with more stories from the old days and compare notes with X and Zero about what had happened during their time apart. Meanwhile, Ciel continued to work on the components for X's new body, though the production of Titanium X of sufficient quality to meet her standards was delaying progress somewhat.

"There are probably still other factories and mines that were abandoned or lost after Neo Arcadia was established and people started gathering there." she pondered as she put together what would eventually become the skeletal structure of an arm. "If only we could find some records..."

"Speaking of which..." Axl chimed in. "X, I know how badly you wanted to track Alia and the others down before you had to start running the show full time..."

"Yes..." X mused. "I pulled up as many records as I could get my hands on. Old files listing the location of all Hunter facilities, outposts, resupply stations. Geological surveys. Whatever satellite data I was able to pull up from the ones still working. But I lost it all."

"You lost it?" Zero asked.

"I had copies stored in solid state drives back in a personal vault in Neo Arcadia." X said with a sigh. "Along with some other items of sentimental value. I doubt it could have survived that degree of destruction though."

"Well then..." Axl said with a cocky grin as he reached into his coat. "There's one thing you never planned for."

X gave him a quizzical look as he withdrew his hand again, revealing what looked like a data disc in a protective casing.

"What..." X muttered.

"I was always very good at getting in places I'm not supposed to, remember?" Axl pointed out with his trademark shameless grin. "I saw the writing on the wall before I left Neo Arcadia. Sure, I wasn't expecting things to turn out exactly the way they did, but… it felt like a good idea to keep a copy or three of your stuff close by."

"You..." X tried to say, at a loss for words.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell the others what password you used for your personal computer..." Axl added with a conspiratorial wink. "But it was pretty easy to guess for anyone who knows you and Alia."

If X's current body had been capable of a wider range of reactions, his face would have lit up like a traffic light. Instead, he just stared at the disc, slack jawed.

"I know, I know." Axl quipped. "You could probably kiss me right now, but neither of us swings that way and Alia wouldn't be very happy to find out about that."

"_Well now..." _Ciel thought, quirking an eyebrow. _"That went from one to a hundred in a hurry."_

"It looks like your mouth only got bigger while we were gone." Zero remarked with a smirk. "That's quite the feat for you."

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Axl said with a laugh, enjoying their reactions.

With that, his expression turned serious again and he thrust the disc casing into X's hands, patting him on the shoulder.

"Consider it a reunion present. Just do all of us a favor and… if it turns out she's still kicking, give her what she deserves. You've kept the poor girl waiting long enough."

"I definitely will." X managed to say. "I still need more data, but this definitely beats starting from scratch. Thanks."

One afternoon, as Ciel continued her work in the workshop, she let out a sigh of frustration.

"Something wrong?" Zero asked, leaning against a nearby wall.

"Just tired." she said. "Didn't sleep very well last night."

"More nightmares?" he asked with a concerned frown.

"Thankfully, no." she said, shaking her head. "Just a lot of ideas buzzing around. Sometimes it can be hard to shut my brain down long enough to sleep."

"I guess that explains why I still find you dozing off at your desk from time to time." he remarked with a smile.

"Y-You saw that?" she stuttered.

"Several times." he said, his smile turning into a full grin. "Who do you think kept putting a blanket on you? It's kind of cute, but it can't be good for your neck and back."

"_So he admits it..." _she thought, feeling flustered. _"I wonder what else he's been doing for me while I'm not looking..."_

Distracted by the thought, she lost her focus until her hand slipped and a tiny connector on a component she was assembling snapped.

"Crap!" she hissed.

"OK, I think someone definitely needs to go take a nap." he said, quirking an eyebrow.

"I'm fi-" she tried to protest before letting out a loud yawn.

"You were saying?" he asked, trying not to look too smug.

"Fine..." she conceded. "But who's going to get Alouette when she finishes today's classes?"

"Don't you worry about that. Just go. One of us will take care of it."

She sighed and put her tools down, then stood up from the chair and went home. Zero watched her leave in silence.

"_I half expected her to put up more of a fight. I guess she really is that tired."_

He then sighed.

"_You have a big heart, but I'm not going to let you run yourself ragged. You and X need to understand the world needs inspiration, not martyrs."_

After following her from a distance, just to make sure she actually went home instead of wandering around or trying to do more work elsewhere, Zero decided to go sit at the bench in front of his shack once again. After allowing himself to relax a little for a couple of hours, he got up and decided to go check up on Alouette.

* * *

Moments later, in front of the large metallic storage container that was being used as a temporary school, Zero found about the last thing he was expecting to see on that day. Specifically, Axl, in uniform, teaching the children basic sports rules.

"What are you doing here?" Zero asked.

"What does it look like?" Axl retorted. "These kids can't stay cooped up in a classroom all day. The humans need to get some sunlight and exercise. Not to mention both humans and Reploids need to work on their coordination."

"That's… surprisingly thoughtful of you."

Then Axl's expression soured a bit.

"Red Alert was my first family." he said, looking a bit downcast. "The Hunters – you and X in particular – were my second. With everything that happened since then I never had time to settle down, but you can say I've grown attached to the little rascals."

"Never?" Zero asked.

"I didn't say I never had any flings here and there." Axl corrected, perking up slightly. "But it's not the same thing. I know I was always the class clown, but these kids represent something important and even I can see that."

"Palette would be surprised to hear you talk like that." Zero remarked, without a hint of sarcasm.

"She would, wouldn't she?" Axl retorted with a sigh and a fond smile. "I guess part of her rubbed off on me."

Much to his surprise, Alouette ran up to him and gave him a quick hug.

"What was that for?" Axl asked, a little surprised.

"You looked like you needed it." she said with her usual smile.

"I guess I did." Axl said before letting out a chuckle, already looking more like his usual self.

He then turned to Zero.

"Watch out. She's going to be a real heartbreaker when she grows up."

"Why are you telling me that?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You're the one she adopted as her big brother, right?" Axl asked with a grin.

"I… wasn't consulted on the matter." Zero said, a smile creeping on his face despite his best attempts at staying serious. "But it doesn't sound like a bad prospect, to be honest."

"Yay!" Alouette squealed.

"That's how they getcha." Axl quipped. "It's the cute ones you've gotta watch out for."

Zero checked the time on his internal clock and looked at Alouette.

"It's time to go home."

As soon as she heard those words, she extended her arms towards him.

"Again?" Zero grumbled. "Aren't you getting a little too old for that?"

"Not just yet." she replied with a cheeky grin.

"Fine..." he said with a sigh before picking her up. Before he knew it, she had snaked around his torso and was perched on his shoulders.

"I really should have brought a camera." Axl remarked.

"Quiet you." Zero grumbled, before reminding something. "Where's X anyway?"

"Probably sorting his notes at Ciel's place." Axl said. "He's been really quiet ever since I got him that copy of the stuff."

"Did you actually take a look at any of it?" Zero asked.

"Just a glance from top to bottom to make sure everything was there." Axl explained. "It looks like he got some promising leads, but the cataclysms buried a lot of stuff and changed the landscape completely in some cases. I think we're going to need more information."

"We." Zero pondered. "Yes, after everything he's put on the line for the world's sake, it's his turn to get a hand for a change."

"That's the plan." Axl said. "I have to respect his dedication, but he pretty much burned away his personal life after a certain point for the sake of everyone else. That's no way to live. He deserves some happiness or at least closure."

Zero nodded and carried Alouette home, silently pondering what else he could do to help his old friend.

"I know that look." Alouette remarked along the way, looking down from her perch.

"Oh?"

"You feel for both of them, just like you do for Ciel."

"Am I that easy to read?" he asked, his expression relaxing slightly.

"To those who know you well enough." she replied, before pecking his cheek. "But with you here, I know things will be OK."

"If that's what you and Ciel think..." he remarked with a smile, feeling encouraged. "I guess I'll just have to make it true."

* * *

A few more days passed, and progress on X's new body continued.

"Do you know what one of my favorite parts of the process is when creating a new Reploid?" Ciel asked, hunched over the workbench with a magnifying eyepiece over her right eye as she carefully used a pair of tiny pliers to fit a lens in a metal ring.

"Do tell." X said, watching her work.

"The face." Ciel said with a fond smile. "Such a simple thing that's often overlooked. But people often judge by first impressions, and they do say the eyes are the windows to the soul."

"That's true." X said with a nod. "Back in the day most people weren't even sure if we had one. I'd say I've put that debate to rest, seeing how I was able to continue existing even without a body. Still..."

Ciel looked over her shoulder, at his pensive face.

"Still?"

"Zero and I…" X continued. "We've been around for a very long time. Axl too, though not to the same extent. We've seen the world change so many times. For a time, we had our place in it, but that changed too. I can't help being reminded of a very old tale from long before my time. Have you ever heard of the Bicentennial Man?"

"I think my mother had an old copy of it." Ciel recalled. "Asimov, right? About a robot who wanted to be a man?"

"Right. That one." X said. "I'm relieved that not everything from the old days has been lost. But anyway… if there was one thing I've always wanted, other than everlasting peace… it's feeling that I belong."

In that moment, despite the limited range of expression the repurposed Pantheon chassis was capable of, Ciel could catch a glimpse of centuries of longing and sorrow on his face. Unable to restrain herself, she put down her tools, stood up and gave X a long hug.

"Of course you belong." she said. "I don't care what anyone else says. You're more human than many humans I've met."

Though he was unable to feel the touch, the intent warmed his weary soul.

"Do you two need some privacy?" Zero quipped, echoing X's earlier words in a light-hearted delayed payback as he stepped into the workshop.

Before either of them could protest, however, he stepped closer and patted both of them on the back.

"I know, I know. Mind out of the gutter. Anyway… Ciel, you've been at it for hours now. Don't you think it's time to take a little break?"

"You have a point." she said, rubbing her eyes. "Maybe a little fresh air will be good for all of us."

Once again, Zero noticed that she didn't argue. In fact, it felt to him almost as if she had been looking forward to being told to take a break. He had started doing this regularly, out of concern for her health, and she appreciated the gesture more than he realized.

"Andrew's seeds are all in the ground and the irrigation system is almost finished..." Ciel pondered. "Where shall we go today?"

"Why don't we just see where our legs take us?" X suggested.

* * *

About half an hour later, they found themselves in the outskirts of the settlement, in front of a clear field where a group of about two dozen Resistance soldiers seemed to be going through drills. Much to their surprise, they spotted Axl there, along with Faucon and Milan. The three appeared to be training some newcomers in basic tactics and weapon handling.

"I guess Captain Revenu has retired then?" Zero remarked.

"Well, what can I say?" Axl retorted with a shrug, setting the Buster Gun he was fiddling with on a folding table at waist level. "I knew word would spread once the others saw the real me. On the other hand, it looks like blowing my cover has made me even more popular with the ladies around here."

"I guess these recruits are in good hands then." Zero said. "For the most part."

The small group, somewhat intimidated to be in the presence of three legends, stood at attention rather stiffly, humans and Reploids alike.

"Breathe." X said with a soft smile. "We're just people too."

"Not to us, sir." a young human male with gray eyes said, saluting stiffly as he attempted to keep his composure. "Not to us."

X said nothing, still unused to such reverence no matter how many years passed.

Suddenly, a loud rumbling distracted him from his thoughts.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Axl hissed as a massive machine came rolling over the horizon on oversized wheels.

X's eyes narrowed. The thing looked like a large scale battle tank, with an ugly brown metal body.

"Is that…?"

Zero clenched his teeth, recognizing a familiar sight. Though this particular model was smaller, it was still quite distinctive.

"How many of those damn things did they make?!"

"Mechaniloid!" one of the recruits cried out.

Indeed it was a towering machine much like the one that had threatened to overwhelm the first Resistance base. This one, however, seemed smaller and did not appear to be packing the same armaments. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be half-finished. Despite not being as formidable a threat as its predecessor, it was still a threat nonetheless. Zero had disabled that one after a considerable struggle, methodically destroying its armaments from the outside, but it had been a close call.

"Let's go." Zero said, reaching for his Z-Saber, which he absolutely refused to go anywhere without.

"Get somewhere safe, Ciel." X said, readying himself for battle as well.

"B-But what about you?" she asked.

"We've had worse." Zero said with a grin.

Axl clearly wanted to follow them, but seeing the state of panic the recruits were in, he knew he had to do something about them.

"All right." he said, slipping back into his role as a Resistance captain. "Remember your training. Your pea shooters won't help here, so fall back in form-"

He then paused abruptly as he noticed something in the corner of his eye.

"What the hell?!"

Out of nowhere, a familiar face came into view, rugged, with a thick jaw and some stubble sprinting towards the flank of the machine in a typical Resistance uniform and combat boots, his hands covered in a strange pair of oversized metal gauntlets. His thick gray eyebrows were furrowed in intense concentration and his gray eyes had an almost maniacal intensity to them in that particular moment.

"_Hey…" _Zero thought as he spotted him as well. _"Is that…?"_

"_What's that nutter doing?!"_ Axl thought. _"Those things are still in testing. That's the kind of crazy stunt I'd pull!"_

The power core mounted on the back of the right hand gauntlet lit up with a golden glow and the soldier took a swing with all his might. The machine shuddered under the mighty punch, and an explosion kicked up a cloud of dust.

"CAPTAIN FAUCON!" one of the recruits shouted in alarm.

In a fit of coughing, the Resistance captain in question jumped back out of the dust cloud, clutching his mangled right hand.

"Needs more work..." he managed to say between coughs. "Sorry… X, Zero, I'll have to leave this to you."

* * *

Atop a nearby hill, two figures stopped their trek to watch the scene unfolding.

"There are people down there..." the armored figure hissed in alarm.

"So much for the break." the woman next to him said.

"Told you so." the armored figure said with a sigh.

With that, the armored figure raised his right hand. In a flash of white light, a strange weapon appeared in his grasp. A sword – an actual sword, made of metal, not with an energy blade like was so common. The handle, hilt and crossguard were made of some sort of golden metal, with the crossguard fashioned in a style reminiscent of a pair of open wings and decorated with an azure gem. The blade itself was white, almost like platinum, fashioned in a style that had not been seen on Earth for many centuries.

"Time to re-enact Filmoa."

With that, the figure broke into a sprint straight ahead and jumped off the hilltop, his suit briefly glowing with a strange white light. He tried to stretch his body forward in a diving motion… and then promptly lost his balance and tumbled down, rolling along the hill, tangled in his own cloak.

"Good grief..." the woman muttered to herself before sliding down the hill after her companion.

Moments later, she found him at the bottom, having rolled down at an angle that left him still out of sight of the others.

"Ow." he groaned.

She rolled her eyes, placed her hands on her hips and looked down at him.

"Are you trying to break your neck?!" she scolded, though the tone in her voice told a different story.

"I'll be feeling that in the morning. I guess… I don't quite have the hang of that yet."

With a sigh, she effortlessly lifted him back up with both hands, untangled him from his cloak and squeezed him, ignoring the dirt and dust stuck on the suit.

"Nothing broken by the looks of it. But stop scaring me like that."

"Sorry."

Suddenly both of them turned in the direction of the machine.

"Did you feel that?!" he asked in surprise.

"I'd have to be asleep not to."

* * *

X stood in the rampaging Mechaniloid's path, starting it down with an unflinching gaze.

"Not today." he said resolutely.

A strange white light erupted in his chest, before spreading to the rest of his body.

"X?!" Zero called out in surprise. "What the hell is that?"

Calmly, X raised his right fist. Swift as lightning, he rolled to the right and darted towards the machine's massive front wheel. Then, with a single punch, he smashed the wheel to pieces and blew a hole through the thick outer plating in that section. Thrown off balance, the Mechaniloid spun around wildly and then kept going until it crashed into a nearby ravine.

Relieved, X exhaled. The light vanished and his arm fell limp. Zero and Ciel scrambled to his side, still utterly confused about what they had just witnessed.

"I guess… I overexerted myself a bit..." X said. "I'm still far from being back to full strength."

"That doesn't really explain anything." Zero said. "But come to think of it… we've seen you do this kind of thing before."

"Back then..." Ciel recalled. "When Weil and Omega tried to take over the minds of all the Reploids in the Resistance base..."

"And before that." Zero recalled. "When..."

He then gave his old friend a haunted look.

"Just what happened to you while I was under, X? What have you become?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself." X admitted. "But it's not exactly new..."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"There's… something burning in me." X said. "Something my maker did not put here... that's been lurking since back in the day. When I confronted Sigma for the first time and my hand burned his face. When I was able to get a second wind and finish the job after Zero overloaded his Buster to take out Vile's Ride Armor."

"There was always something about you, even back then..." Zero remarked. "Something that went beyond your soft heart."

* * *

Out of sight, the armored figure and his companion watched on.

"It looks like things are about to get even more interesting around here..." she said excitedly.

"Yes..." the armored figure said. "There's no doubt about it."

Then, he raised his right hand, where a prominent golden ring was resting on the middle finger. In a flash, his hand was engulfed in a white light identical to the one X had just manifested.

"I knew this world was special, but… I wasn't expecting to find more like us here."

* * *

"I knew it..." Milan said as he walked up to X with a haunted look on his face. "It was you..."

"Milan?" Ciel asked, rather confused.

"He saved my life back in that buried lab…" the soldier said before turning his attention back to X. "But why didn't you say anything X?"

"I…" X tried to say before nearly being knocked off his feet by the air dislocation as something inside the toppled Mechaniloid exploded violently.

As they carefully edged closer to the edge of the ravine to see what exactly had just happened, Ciel let out a yelp, feeling one of her feet sink into the ground. It appeared that the shockwave had knocked something loose below, as the hole quickly widened. Feeling a bizarre sense of deja vu, Zero dashed in to grab her. As she clung to him, he reached out for anything that might slow their fall… only to feel hard metal against the palm of his hand.

"What's this…?" he thought out loud.

"Only one way to find out." Ciel said.

"Are you sure?" he asked, more concerned with getting her out of there.

She just nodded, and he carefully slid down along the hard metal surface, keeping a lookout for any unpleasant surprises below.

X and Axl quickly caught up with the two, but as soon as they reached the edge of what looked like a rectangular opening, Zero called out to them from inside.

"Hey guys… I think this is some kind of ventilation shaft. There's something else down here."

"Define something." X said, sticking his head in the hole.

"Something old." Ciel called out. "And big."


	11. Treasures From the Old World

Author's Notes: This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Christopher Tin is awesome. Also, did you know that for a time, Mark Gatha was the English voice of X?

* * *

Chapter 11 – Treasures From the Old World

Zero and Ciel continued their descent down the shaft until they reached solid ground, finding themselves in some sort of janitor's closet. At his feet, Zero found a broken piece of a metal grate, which had likely been blocking their path before rusting and breaking off.

He couldn't help smiling and feeling a rush of heat to his face as he was reminded of Ciel's presence, still clinging to him for dear life despite being in no apparent danger. A few dozen thoughts flashed across his mind, but he didn't have the heart to tease her… especially since he was enjoying the close contact despite his reluctance to come forward about his emotions.

"Oh..." she realized after a while. "Solid ground."

With that, she hopped off, and then reached into one of her pockets for a flashlight.

"What kind of place do you suppose we've stumbled across this time?" she pondered, the light illuminating a metal door.

"Only one way to find out." Zero said as he stepped forward and pushed, finding it unlocked.

What awaited them beyond left Ciel wide-eyed… and more than a little giddy.

"This…!" she gasped with awe and glee in equal measure.

* * *

Meanwhile, above them…

"So..." Axl said. "I should probably go after them. Why don't you go get that arm checked?"

"That… won't be necessary." X said as he hesitantly wiggled his fingers, slowly regaining control of his right hand.

"OK..." Axl said. "So what exactly was that about anyway?"

"I guess I overdid it a bit." X said. "Using that… light… in my incorporeal state was slowly draining me. Now that I have a body again, I can feel my strength returning. I should probably not push myself too far though."

"Typical X." Axl remarked. "Always burning yourself out for the sake of others."

"Why didn't you say anything back then?" Milan insisted. "I thought I was a goner. I can say without a doubt that you saved my life."

"I followed Ciel back when she went into that lab." X said with a sigh. "You know the squad above was wiped out trying to cover her back. I had to save at least ONE of you..."

"You're not blaming yourself for that too, are you?" Axl scolded. "I saw the aftermath. They never stood a chance. One of those damned Golems wiped them out in a single burst."

"You were there too?" X asked in surprise.

"I was too late to do anything." Axl said with a sigh. "If my old pea shooters were up to snuff, maybe things would have been different."

"What happened to them anyway?"

"Time, lack of spare parts..." Axl listed off. "An involuntary dip in a swamp from hell… Pick your poison. Anyway..."

With that, he jumped down the shaft.

"Make sure nobody follows us until we're sure what exactly we're dealing with." X said, glancing at Milan. "I'd hate to lose more people to some random pre-cataclysm deathtrap."

And so, he followed as well, sliding down the shaft.

* * *

Inside, Ciel gazed upon a veritable treasure trove. Not doubloons and gems in a chest like in the stories of old, not rare metals or ancient weapons… and definitely not another hero from a bygone age sleeping in a lab… but instead rows upon rows of bookcases, completely full.

"What..." she muttered as she ran the flashlight over some of the shelves, recognizing the subjects on the spines… of actual paper books.

"Engineering, chemistry, general sciences..." she said excitedly. "Textbooks, theses, manuals..."

"This stuff could probably come in handy." Zero said with an appreciative nod. "Not everyone is as learned in this stuff as you and Cerveau."

They continued walking, on a dusty floor that had not seen visitors for what seemed to be decades or even centuries, with Ciel mentally counting the rows of bookcases and taking notice of the subject matter. Eventually they transitioned into another section where more modern repositories awaited them – in this case data discs of an old format but which she still had some familiarity with.

"Look at this!" she squealed excitedly. "Think of all the things we could do if we found a way to get this out of here!"

"And look." Zero said, pointing at a spot behind her.

Ciel turned around and saw a stone staircase, turning at ninety degree angles.

"It goes on..." she realized, placing her hand on the metal railing before hustling along.

"Wait!" Zero called out. "We don't know what's down there! Let me check first!"

"Ever heard of ladies first?" she teased, mostly to hide the fact that his display of concern was once again making something in her chest feel warm.

"Ever heard of being careful?" he retorted with a smirk.

"I'll give it a try when you stop trying to hitch rides on missiles." she said.

"I'll think about it." he said, echoing a conversation they'd had during some of his previous shenanigans.

"Together, then?" she offered.

"Fine." he conceded.

Downstairs they found a different section, containing a repository of what looked like history and geography books. Once again Ciel was overwhelmed.

"Centuries of lost history!" she gasped. "So much we could learn from this!"

"I seem to remember a saying about those who don't heed history." Zero pondered with a nod. "The kids and the adults should probably take a look at some of this… assuming we manage to get it out somehow."

Ciel nodded and reached into her pocket for a portable radio.

"Cerveau, can you hear me?" she called out.

"You just- stay- trouble- can you?" the Chief Engineer's voice came in through a considerable amount of static. Ciel adjusted the frequency and called again.

"Better?"

"Much better. What have you landed yourself into this time?"

"Something grand." Ciel said, starting to feel positively giddy. "Listen, we need a portable generator and some lights over here. Can you get someone to bring them over?"

"On it."

Footsteps echoed behind them and Zero looked over his shoulder to find X and Axl.

"I can see why you'd be too distracted to hear us calling out." X said as he surveyed the shelves.

"Oh." Ciel said. "Sorry if we worried you."

"Well then..." Zero pondered. "Since we're here, how about we see how deep this goes?"

Sure enough, they found another staircase at the end of the hallway, leading to a section laden with art books.

"I've never even heard of some of these..." Ciel said with a sad look on her face as she flipped through the pages of a picture catalog full of pictures of paintings and statues time had long forgotten.

"We've lost so much…" X lamented. "Sometimes it feels like an impossible dream to put the world back together. But we have to try."

"Yes..." Ciel said, once again regaling the others with her soft smile. "And one day… we'll create new beauty of our own."

With that, she closed the book and placed it back on its shelf. Before moving on, she paused briefly and, to the others' surprise, blew a kiss at the bookshelf.

"See you soon." she whispered fondly.

Zero was particularly surprised by the gesture, but couldn't blame her. Even though he knew very little about art, he couldn't help feel something stirring inside at the sights contained in the book.

The next floor contained what looked like a collection of music records, mostly in data disc format, though there were some solid state drives in a stack near the middle of the floor, plugged into an ancient-looking computer covered with a thick layer of dust.

"We'll definitely have to come back for this..." X said, looking at some of the labels.

They knew they wouldn't be able to listen to anything until they had a device capable of playing the records, so they continued, to yet another floor.

"Well now..." Axl said. "I definitely wasn't expecting this when I got out of bed this morning."

Before their eyes, under the flashlight's shine, they beheld a massive collection of fiction books, movies and other pieces of entertainment – likely centuries' worth of them. Hardcover tomes, digitized books in data disc, movies in digital format, reaching as far as they eye could see.

"Some of these..." X realized. "I remember watching them when they first came out, back in our days as Hunters… and… wow..."

The four wandered about, with Ciel shining her flashlight at everything in range while the others, able to see thanks to their superhuman optics, ended up drifting in a different direction.

"Not just movies and books either..." Axl said. "Even animated stuff."

"Feature length…" X said. "Weekly shows..."

"This is way too well stocked to be just any random library..." Ciel pondered. "Maybe someone threw in their personal collection as well? Some eccentric benefactor?"

"I don't believe this..." Zero said as he ran to one of the shelves, his gaze darting from top to bottom with the grin of a little boy left to his own devices in a candy shop.

He lifted a finger and checked the shelves, sorted in alphabetic order, until he found something that made him laugh out loud. Ciel watched, wondering what was going on.

"Hey X!" Zero called out. "Guess what I found!"

X turned his attention away from what looked like a shelf containing a collected of movies derived from the works of one Isaac Asimov in time to see his old friend strike a strange pose. First Zero opened both hands and stretched his arms down diagonally to his body with the palms facing forward.

"_What is he doing?" _X wondered.

Zero then clawed up his fingers and positioned his hands diagonally in front of his chest, with the fingertips pointed at each other. As recognition set in, X found himself grinning.

"Gemu giru gan go gufo..." Zero hissed before he clasped his hands together and pointed them forward, leaving Ciel utterly confused.

"What?" she asked, unsure what the gibberish meant.

She was then startled and nearly jumped back as Zero cried out at the top of his voice synthesizer.

"HELL!"

"AND!" X shouted back, mimicking his pose.

"HEAVEN!" both of them shouted together.

Ciel stared at Zero, then at X, then back at Zero, completely and utterly confused.

"Will someone please tell me what that was all about?" she asked.

"Are you serious?!" X asked, clearly excited as his gaze darted towards the shelf Zero was standing next to.

"See for yourself!" Zero said, absolutely giddy.

Intrigued, Ciel edged closer as the two walked in front of the large shelf, both of them now grinning ear to ear at what appeared to be a massive collection of very old shows in digital format, preserved in sturdy metal boxes that were decorated with what she could only assume to be the original cover art.

The box Zero was holding in his hand was decorated with what looked like a black robot – not exactly a Reploid, but something else entirely – its chest decorated with a golden ornament in the shape of a lion's head. In fact, the closer she looked at it, the bigger the resemblance she could see between Zero and the main character that was standing close to the robot with a winning grin and a fanciful pose.

"What's all this then?" she asked.

"If you don't know, then… you're in for a treat." X said.

"We spent so many nights in the break room at the old Hunter HQ watching this stuff with the others..." Zero reminisced.

"So many classics." X said with a fond smile, overcome by emotion as he recalled days long gone. "They were already old before we ever came along, but they had their undeniable charm. I… I didn't think there were any copies left."

Ciel felt a soft warmth blossoming in her heart. She had seen them happy, sad, pensive, troubled and angry before, but the sight of the three goofing off, enjoying themselves like that, with their burdens momentarily set aside… that made her happier than she could put into words.

"_Even with all their emotional baggage, there are still things that can bring them such simple joy." _she thought with a smile.

"Of course this would be here too..." Axl said with a laugh as he picked up another case. "Hey X! Tell me if this sounds familiar."

X glanced at Axl and watched him raise his right fist, turning the back of the hand outward.

"This hand of mine glows with an awesome power!" Axl cried out in a deeper voice as he struck a dramatic pose.

"That does look like someone we know." Zero remarked with a chuckle. "Especially after what we saw upstairs."

Ciel couldn't help giggling at the cheesy display, even if she didn't know the context. Soon enough, however, she frowned as a thought took form in her mind.

"This place..." she realized. "This place is a real treasure trove of the old world. Between all the wars and cataclysms, I don't think I've ever even seen a fraction of this material before. All this history and culture. All this knowledge, science and who knows what else…"

X and Zero glanced at her, realizing what she was thinking.

"We can't just leave this here." X said. "Who knows how much longer this building is going to last?"

"Especially now." Zero pondered. "It may have been relatively safe later, but now that it's exposed to the air… and buried underground…"

"It's only a matter of time until the wind, rain, mold and other stuff start seeping in." X realized with dismay.

"You're absolutely right." Ciel said, feeling positively giddy at the thought of recovering lost knowledge that might help pave the way for the future. "But… how are we going to get all of this out of here?"

It was then that they heard footsteps from above. Someone else was coming down the staircase. X and Zero exchanged glances and took a step forward.

"_Two sets of footsteps..." _Zero pondered, studying the sounds. _"Relaxed. One of them a little hesitant..."_

"Oh. Hello there." a woman's voice said, soft and gentle.

"Fascinating..." a man's voice said next to her. "To think that a structure of this size would survive being buried for so long..."

In front of them stood a woman in an armored suit that left her head exposed… and what they could assume to be a man, completely covered by a bizarre set of armor. The second figure's helmet was emitting some sort of bluish light from the sides, likely powered by the suit.

"And you are?" Zero asked, a little hesitant as he glanced at the two.

"I'm afraid I have no name to give you." the armored figure said. "I still don't quite know what to call myself."

"What, another amnesiac?" Zero asked with a scoff.

"Not exactly." the armored figure said. "Though we are on a journey of self-discovery of our own."

The figure then appeared to exchange a glance with the woman, before turning his attention to X. He seemed hesitant to approach, but she smiled and nudged him forward.

"I guess now we know why we ended up here." he finally said.

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"Well..." the armored figure said, before raising his right hand.

Then the hand started glowing with a soft white light, illuminating the chamber around them.

"As you can see, there are others like you."

"This is a surprise..." X said. "I don't think I've ever seen others display this ability. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one."

"That said..." Zero added. "Just what is that exactly?"

"Light." the man said.

"We can see that." Zero retorted with a hint of annoyance. "But what exactly does that mean?"

"It means..." the woman explained with a smile. "That your friend is quite special. Though you probably already knew that."

"In theory, everyone has the potential." the man said. "In practice, few manifest it."

"But… why me?" X asked.

"Some would say that this overflowing radiant power comes from love and courage." the woman said. "From having something worth protecting, and acknowledging it."

"I just say it is something not given, but rather that stems from your true self… though I too am still in the process of understanding it." the man said. Even through the suit they could tell her choice of words had left him a little uncomfortable for some reason.

"So what exactly brings you here?" Ciel asked, intrigued by their appearance and abilities.

"Just a brief stop on an endless journey." the man said. "We were taking a break to see the sights before moving on when we saw the commotion. Clearly your friends had it covered."

Ciel could have sworn she sensed a subtle undertone of embarrassment in that last statement, though she couldn't figure out why.

"So..." the woman said. "Who might you be?"

"Ciel. A scientist." Zero introduced the petite scientist.

"Zero." he said, pointing at himself. "A guy who's good at breaking things and putting fools in their place."

"I'm X." X introduced himself. "A long time ago Zero and I fought to protect the future of the world along with Axl. These days we're just… trying to find ourselves, I suppose."

"You are still fighting." the man said with certainty.

"We are aware of some of your work, to an extent." the woman said with a sympathetic nod. "Something terrible happened to this world, and you are putting the pieces together."

"Just what exactly do you know about us?" Zero asked, somewhat suspicious.

"Not as much as you may be thinking." the woman said. "But enough to know that to people in your situation, the contents of this place are priceless."

"Just what is this place anyway?" Axl asked. "It looks like some kind of library, but..."

"We… did some investigating before following you down here." the man said. "From what we could gather by remote scanning, it looks like we're standing in the ruins of a bigger complex. Possibly some sort of university campus."

"I may have heard of one such place around this region..." X recalled. "But that was a long time ago. Before the space colony incident."

"Don't tell me." the man said with a sigh. "Some idiot tried to crash it? Probably blonde, angsty and with a lame mask?"

"One out of three." Zero corrected. "A megalomaniac monster. I guess I can't blame you for not knowing the details, seeing how it all happened so long ago."

Ciel looked around, still pensive.

"You're probably wondering how you're going to get all of this out of here, right?" the woman asked with a soft smile.

"Well, yes..." Ciel admitted with a nod. "It'll probably take weeks or months to do it by hand."

"By hand." the man echoed. "We have a better option. Just two questions."

"Huh?" Ciel muttered.

"Where do you want it?" the man asked. "Also, do you want the bookcases too, or just the materials?"

Ciel looked at the odd pair and blinked incredulously.

"Are you seriously proposing to get all of this out of here yourselves?" she asked. "How?"

"We have our ways." the man said.

As far as Ciel could tell, they were serious, and their strange appearance and manner of speaking piqued her curiosity. While she wasn't sure whether to trust them or not, she was still intrigued by their words. Then she had an idea.

"There's a place where we once took refuge." Ciel said, testing their reaction. "It should have plenty of space for all of this… without the shelves."

"Storage crates it is." the man said with a nod. "We have plenty of those and didn't know what to do with them."

X and Zero exchanged confused glances, but let things unfold on their own, seeing how Ciel appeared to have the situation under control.

"We'll just need to make sure we don't miss anything important..." the man said as he started walking again, going past them. "The computers should have some sort of catalog but you won't be able to consult it until you get them working."

They followed the strange figure down another staircase, seemingly leading to a basement. A final door stood in their way, but that too yielded with a push from one of his armored hands. Inside, however, they found something different.

In what looked like a common living area, if not for the obvious age of the furniture and electronics, the figure's helmet lights revealed what appeared to be two skeletons on a decrepit old sofa.

"A man..." the armored figure said.

"And a dog, by the looks of it." Ciel added.

The human skeletal remains, still clad in ancient casual clothing, were curled up on the sofa, with a hand on the dog's cranium. The dog's skeleton was lying down in a relaxed position, as if sleeping. Ciel felt a pang of sadness as she deduced what had happened.

"If this place was around when Eurasia fell..." she thought out loud. "Then the keeper probably got trapped inside by the landslide… and either starved or suffocated."

"I guess that explains some of the collection." X pondered. "The librarian probably added his personal stash to the shelves."

"What a sad way to go." the armored man remarked somberly, lowering his head. "Trapped and forgotten. I suppose at least he did not die completely alone."

With that, he abruptly left the room, followed by the woman. Intrigued, Axl followed them only to find him in the hallway, with the woman patting his back.

"I'm never going to get used to that..." he heard the man whisper.

Then he straightened up and headed back upstairs.

"Let's get to work." he said, wiggling his armored fingers. "By the look of it, we have an idea of everything is. Just one last scan and… there we go."

As he uttered those last words, he turned to Ciel and opened a panel on his left wrist guard, revealing some sort of compact computer interface.

"Well then… where shall we put it?"

Even more intrigued, she took a look. The technology was clearly advanced, but the design layout felt almost familiar – or perhaps it was simply intuitive by intent. She reached for her portable radio once again and set the frequency to the old Resistance base, where she knew a small garrison was still stationed.

"Jaune, Rouge can you hear me?" she called out.

"Loud and clear." a chipper female voice replied.

"I need to put some stuff in the main storage room. Is it being used right now?"

"Not really."

"Is anyone there at all right now?"

"No reason for them to be. Let me just double check. Yes, all clear."

"Good." Ciel said. "Have someone keep an eye on the door."

With that, she entered the coordinates, having become quite familiar with the location due to her extended stays there in the past.

"Excellent." the armored figure said. "And now… time for a little technological magic. Observe."

Ciel let out a startled yelp as the contents of the shelves began disappearing in sudden flashes of white light, not too dissimilar from when someone traveled through a Trans Server terminal.

"How are you doing that?!" she cried out in surprise as the items continued to disappear faster than her eye could follow.

"We have our ways." the armored figure said, with a hint of amusement seeping into his tone.

"A wizard did it?" Axl chimed in with his usual irreverence.

"No..." Ciel pondered. "This looks like teleportation. But how are they doing it without a Trans Server link?"

"Uh… Ciel?" a voice chimed in through the radio. "Something you want to tell us? We've got stacks of metal crates popping up in the storage room out of nowhere."

"Just… something we found out here." Ciel replied. "Keep everyone out of the storage room until this ends. We don't want any accidents."

She then turned to the armored figure.

"I don't want to push it, but… could you send the computers and some of the music discs… to a different place?"

"Very well." he said. "Show me where."

Without thinking, she entered the coordinates to her home.

Moments later, the shelves were completely barren. In disbelief, Zero and Axl ran upstairs only to find that the other floors had also been picked clean apart from the computers.

"And just to make sure you know where to find them..." the armored figure said before snapping his fingers, after which all the computer equipment disappeared as well. "There we go. Marked crate."

Ciel blinked twice and looked at the two strangers.

"Well now… I'm still not sure how you did it, but you've just saved us a whole lot of work. For that, thank you. But… why?"

"Because what you're doing here is important." the woman said with a fond smile before turning her gaze to her companion. "And because we can't resist giving people a hand."

"The real work is up to you." the armored figure said. "Keeping track of all that… and making sure it's not lost to time again."

Then he headed back downstairs. Surprised yet again, Ciel followed only to catch up with him just as he made it into the living area and carefully lifted the two skeletons off the couch.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You'll see."

Instead of snapping his fingers, he simply muttered something Ciel couldn't understand and all of them found themselves standing on the surface again.

* * *

"Hey!" Axl cried out. "What gives?!"

"Beats climbing back out, I suppose." Zero said.

"And with that, we leave you to your work." the armored figure said, turning away. "But first..."

He walked a few more steps, until he reached a fresh patch of soil. Almost reverently, he set the remains down side by side and, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a glass flask, seemingly filled with water.

"Your time in this world is long past." he said solemnly as he poured the water on the remains. "Though you perished in the dark, forgotten… someone knows that you lived."

The man raised his right hand and the remains were suddenly consumed by a strange white flame that burned without smoke, releasing a soothing, ethereal fragrance into the air.

"And there." he said after a moment. "For now we leave you to your work."

"Nice to meet you all." the woman said. "We look forward to seeing what you'll make of this world."

And with that, they started floating in place above the ground for a brief moment, before disappearing in a burst of white light.

"Well… that happened." Zero thought out loud.

"Looks like our list of things to do just got a lot bigger." Ciel pondered.

"Don't overdo it." Zero said, knowing too well how she could get carried away.

"For now..." X said, still pensive about the whole experience. "Let's go home."

* * *

Later that day, as she finished hooking up the ancient computer equipment and began the process of dissecting the library catalog at her home, Ciel opened one of the metal crates and picked a random music disc on a whim. She carefully removed the disc from its casing and upon inserting it on the reader she was pleasantly surprised to find that the computer she had at hand was capable of reading it. With a sense of trepidation, she started the playback and a moment later a beautiful song, forgotten by time, started playing through the speakers.

**Una volta che avrà  
spiccato il volo deciderà,  
sguardo verso il ciel, sarà,  
lì a casa il cuore sentirà!  
Una volta che avrà  
spiccato il volo deciderà,  
sguardo verso il ciel, sarà,  
lì a casa il cuore sentirà! **

Glorious, soaring, it evoked mental images of open skies and left her feeling misty-eyed even though she was unfamiliar with the language. Then, as she looked at the back of the cover, she understood.

"_Sogno di volare..." _she thought, marveling at the emotions evoked by a song whose existence she had only just become aware. _"The dream of flight..."_

"One day..." she muttered to herself. "We'll stand tall and strong again. We won't just rebuild what we lost, no. We'll do better. And even if it doesn't happen in my lifetime… someday we'll reach for the stars."

With the fortuitous find of this treasure trove of the old world, the hope in her heart was further kindled. Her dream of preservation and restoration felt like it had taken a considerable leap forward. Whoever those strangers were, she would be eternally grateful for their gesture, even if she could not truly fathom their motives.

* * *

For his part, Zero felt a silent joy to see her so fired up as he watched her through the window… and once again struggled to contain the affection consuming his heart.

"_I'm not ready yet… Still have too much shit to sort out. But… seeing you like this is doing wonders for me as well."_

With that, he turned around.

"_Wait a minute…" _he realized as a smile crept onto his face._"I've gotta pay the old base a visit. She has to watch that stuff at least once!"_

As if on cue, X and Axl showed up in front of him, each carrying a small pile of the discs in question.

"Looking for these?" Axl asked with a smug grin.

"H-How did you…?" Zero stuttered.

"X." Axl said simply. "I guess he knows you too well. Now come on! Let's get Alouette… and some popcorn!"

"Thank Asimov for Trans Servers!" X said with a smile.

* * *

Minutes later, after grabbing an old disc player and hooking it to the largest computer monitor they could find, the five sat down on a couch.

"So… why exactly did you want me to take a break right now so badly?" Ciel asked, a little dumbfounded.

"You'll see." Zero replied with a grin. Sitting on his lap, Alouette was holding onto a bowl of freshly made popcorn almost as big as her.

"Ladies..." Axl said proudly. "Your education begins now!"

Ciel was even more confused as a cheesy over the top opening sequence started playing with an overly enthusiastic theme song. Then, as the character so similar to Zero came into view, she blinked.

"_What…?"_

Hours later, at the crack of dawn, with the popcorn long gone and Axl and Alouette fast asleep (with the former snoring with his mouth open), Ciel blinked and looked at X and Zero sitting next to her.

"That has to be the most ridiculous… or most ridiculously awesome thing I've ever seen." she said, scratching her head as she grappled with the mental image of Zero pulling the same kind of over the top stunts she had just witnessed.

"_Those two looked so adorable though..."_ she thought, suddenly getting flustered again._ "Wait… is he trying to tell me something with this?" _


	12. Overtures at Reconciliation

Chapter 12 – Overtures at Reconciliation

"There you are."

The search had been long, but not as long as he had anticipated. In retrospective, it seemed only logical that they would have stopped at this location.

Once, while Neo Arcadia was still under construction, the structure had been a rest stop for travelers, under the protection of X's followers. Despite being long abandoned, the equipment inside was still mostly intact and he and his siblings had eventually inherited the access codes so they could use the facility on extended missions in the outside world.

Sage Harpuia, formerly known as one of the Four Guardians, opened his green eyes as if waking from a bout of daydreaming and stared at his companion.

"Well now… you're definitely looking a little more solid than last time we saw you."

"Another undeserved kindness." Phantom said. "Still, I will need to regain my full strength for the work ahead, so I suppose I should not complain too much about it."

He then noticed the slender form, clad in blue armor, who was slumped in another corner of the chamber, not bothering to acknowledge his presence, looking absolutely dejected.

"What's with Leviathan?"

"Take a wild guess..." another familiar voice chimed in, before letting out a sigh. "Three hints. Tall, blond and a pain in the ass."

By the looks of it, her mood was also beginning to affect Fefnir, though was trying to hide it with his usual snark.

Phantom hesitantly stepped up to her, but she still showed no reaction. He waved a hand in front of her blue eyes, but she still did not move. She just stayed as she was, sitting on the floor with her legs stretched out in front of her, staring at nowhere in particular.

"I did not know what to expect..." Phantom said. "I did not know how you would receive me. But I was definitely not expecting this."

He had not seen the other Guardians since X had helped him escape the confines of the Cyberworld and enlisted his aid in rallying them to assist in the evacuation of Neo Arcadia before its destruction. At the time, once they had ordered the loyalists to stand down and carved a path through some of the more stubborn Pantheon units, Phantom had lingered around for a time and left after the firing of the cannon, unable to do much else in his incorporeal state.

A small part of him had been dreading the reunion as he did not know how they would react – and he had fully expected Fefnir to mock him for the cavalier and useless way in which he had destroyed his original body. Seeing Leviathan in this state instead and finding the others affected by her mood in turn, was somehow more unpleasant than that.

"How long has she been like this?" Phantom asked.

"We stuck around out of sight just long enough to confirm Zero's survival and watch Ciel deliver her little speech." Harpuia said. "After she was done, we buzzed off. We didn't know where exactly to go, so we just kept heading away from Area Zero… and eventually ended up here a week ago. After that… she just stopped trying to hold herself together."

"I'll admit." Fefnir said. "Even I feel pretty shitty about some of the things we did. As much as I like a good tussle, there was a dirty side to our work that I only barely managed to tolerate."

"For her, on the other hand..." Harpuia added. "It's a little more difficult."

"I guess Master X and his companions are not the only ones susceptible to depression in these conditions." Phantom surmised. "But yes, I can somewhat understand her ailment."

"Can you?" Harpuia asked. "I don't think so. You may have squared off against Zero early on, but you weren't there to watch some of the rest."

"In the end, even the dutiful sea dragon has a heart." Phantom mused. "And it appears to be aching."

"Are you making fun of her, you little shit?!" Fefnir snapped.

"Merely stating what I perceive." Phantom said with a frown.

He then knelt down in front of Leviathan and stared into her expressionless eyes.

"I wonder… what hurts the most? The fact that Zero proved you and all of us wrong… or the fact that you cannot have him?"

Phantom moved his head slightly back just in time to avoid a punch from an incensed Fefnir.

"You little shit!" Fefnir growled. "Did you come all the way here just to rub it in her face?!"

"You misunderstand." Phantom said in his usual even tone, bordering on detached. "I am trying to show some sympathy to our sister."

He then frowned, showing a rare hint of emotion.

"Admittedly, I was never very good at it."

Then he glared at Fefnir, showing another rare hint of emotion – this time a flash of anger.

"Do not presume that I am completely uncaring. Duty has always been my primary concern, but you three are the only remaining attachments I have to this world, and don't you dare forget it. I will not repeat myself."

"What about Ciel?" Harpuia asked with an inscrutable expression, though the look in his eyes betrayed a hint of surprise at Phantom's outburst. "Or X?"

"Master X was always the ideal I aspired to." Phantom said somberly. "The one whose example I tried to live up to. Even after we defiled his legacy, he still extended a hand to me and showed me kindness I did not deserve… but I am not close to him, and I still doubt he would truly need the likes of me."

"Then how do you explain the fact that you are the only one among us who has actually been personally taught by him in some extent?" Harpuia pointed out. "Or that he went out of his way to look for you? I'm guessing he also had something to do with that replacement body."

"That last part was Ciel." Phantom clarified. "But yes… you do have a point. I expected their open contempt, but instead… though they were taken aback by my presence… they treated me with kindness and Ciel was already talking about helping me recover once Master X had regained his strength."

"Maybe you don't want to admit it." Fefnir said. "But maybe we're not as expendable as you think. Not to them at least."

"If anything, they are always consistent." Harpuia remarked, showing the barest hint of a smile. "No wonder we fell short. Our leaders tended to see everyone else as an extension of their will – an expendable pawn. But what about Zero? How did he react?"

"He was surprised as well, but once Master X spoke to him he was… surprisingly quick to accept it." Phantom recalled.

"I thought so." Harpuia said with a self-satisfied grin. "I knew I was right to pull his unconscious ass out of the wastelands and drop him at the Resistance's door back when he decided to go wandering alone."

Silent until that point, Leviathan suddenly intervened, staring at Harpuia.

"T-That was you?"

Though she did not elaborate, he could sense her silent gratitude for that.

"We may have had our differences." Harpuia said, crossing his arms. "But I have always had a considerable degree of respect for Zero, even before we clashed in person. To let him waste away like a dog in the middle of nowhere would have been a disgrace."

"Yes..." Leviathan said with a strange look on her face. "He was always special. One of a kind, even. My rival, my opponent, my..."

She then tried to suppress a shiver as she placed a quivering hand over her chest.

Harpuia loudly cleared his throat and looked at her.

"Far from me to tell you how to live your life, but..."

"You've got issues, Sis." Fefnir interrupted with his usual bluntness. "I don't want to kick you while you're down or make fun of you, but the way you've started getting all hot and bothered ever since he kicked your ass for the first time..."

"I… can't really explain it myself..." Leviathan conceded, as her cheeks turned into a shade of red. "He just… makes me feel so alive."

Then she lowered her head, seemingly on the verge of tears.

"Damnit, what the hell is wrong with me?!"

"You do understand that this is not healthy." Phantom remarked. "And yet you kept going back for more."

"I was duty bound to strike down the enemies of Neo Arcadia." Leviathan said defensively. "To enforce the will of our Master. But then..."

"I see..." Phantom mused. "And when we were proven wrong and the weight of it all hit you, you pried yourself away from his sight… much like I tried to hide from my disgrace."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Harpuia asked.

"Keep myself as far away from him as I can." Leviathan said. "Before I lose what's left of my sanity. Maybe… go back to using my abilities to monitor the state of the oceans and deal with the remaining pollution… like our maker intended."

"I see..." Phantom said pensively. "I actually had another purpose in coming for you today other than catching up. Master X and Ciel believe that we could atone for our actions by putting our talents to use in a more constructive fashion. Perhaps-"

"No." Leviathan cut him off. "I can't go back. Just thinking about his eyes on me, the clashing of blades… the thrill of it all… I..."

Feeling a rush of heat on her face again, she stopped herself and sighed.

"Is this what going Maverick feels like? Or am I just..."

"No offense Sis, but..." Fefnir intervened. "You're terrible at this kind of thing. As much as I enjoy a good scrap, there's a good reason to never mix business and pleasure."

"It's not like I chose this!" Leviathan protested indignantly.

"But you can choose what to do about it." Fefnir retorted. "I get it, you're feeling like shit. We all are. But this is no way to live. Either talk it out with him, or grab him and give him a good tumble, but you need to get this out of your system before it drives you completely crazy."

To add to the list of Phantom's surprises for the day, he then saw Fefnir make an uncharacteristic display of affection by hugging her.

"I hate seeing you like this." Fefnir said with a mournful look.

"So do I." Leviathan said somberly. "So do I. What kind of warrior turns into a quivering mess like this?!"

"Perhaps we were never truly meant to be warriors at all." Phantom mused.

"Speak for yourself." Fefnir growled. "In fact, I've got half a mind to go kick Zero's ass for leaving her in this state. The dolt probably doesn't even realize what he did."

That, unexpectedly, made Leviathan snort.

"What's so funny?!" Fefnir asked.

"Considering his track record..." Leviathan remarked, showing the faintest trace of a smile in the corner of her mouth. "You'd sooner end up flat on your ass. Again."

"N-Now wait a minute!" Fefnir stuttered, getting rather agitated.

"Technically, it's true." Harpuia said with a hint of amusement seeping into his tone.

"Yes, he'd hand you your ass on a platter." Leviathan remarked. "Just like always."

"Don't tell me you're getting your jollies from the thought of him beating me up now!" Fefnir protested, giving Leviathan a dirty look. "Leave me out of your fantasies Sis!"

"No, you idiot." she said, shaking her head. "But you're right about one thing..."

"Just one?" Fefnir asked smugly.

Leviathan sighed and seemed to perk up ever-so-slightly.

"One way or another, I've got to find a way to put this matter to rest so I can get on with my life."

"On that, we can agree." Harpuia said his piece.

"Well then..." Phantom chimed in. "Shall I go back and tell them to expect you all?"

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Ciel's home...

"_I still can't get it out of my mind..."_ Ciel pondered as she thought back on the ludicrous animated show whose protagonist reminded her so much of Zero.

Once again, she found her mind drifting to the subject… specifically the mental images of Zero screaming like a madman as he unleashed ridiculous attacks… or the tender scenes between the protagonist and his love interest, with Zero and her taking their places.

"_Damnit..."_ she thought in frustration, unable to focus. _"I won't be able to get any work done today at this rate."_

With a sigh, she decided to go for a walk in hopes of clearing her head. A few minutes, passed, then an hour, and she found herself thinking of other things. Her mind drifted back to the ancient show, only this time it lingered on another character – an adorable small boy, full of energy and enthusiasm, who would occasionally sprout wings and fly around healing people with an odd green light after the protagonist had beaten the monster of the week.

"_No..."_ she thought as she was suddenly reminded of another boy, this time clad in blue and with a different sort of wings, as he glared hatefully with red eyes and unleashed destruction with a different sort of light. _"I'm not doing this to myself again..."_

"I'm breaking the pattern here!" she proclaimed to herself, shoving away the memories of the insane doppelganger. "No more! I can do this!"

And with that, she went back inside, but rather than returning to her previous work, she decided to continue a more personal project she'd kept in the back burner for far too long. She headed to her room, pulled a sturdy storage locker out from under her bed and retrieved a set of precision lenses and metal tubes from inside, setting them in order on her desk. She then went back out of the room to get a box of tools and along the way back she dialed up the volume on her computer speakers and set the same song that had moved her so much on a repeating loop.

"_Yes..."_ she thought. _"Much, much better. Once I'm done making copies of some of these songs I'll have to talk to Neige about her __radio __broadcasts. No reason to hog all of this to myself."_

The next several hours flew by, as she worked on her side project, spurred on by the song. By the time the sun was setting, she finished tightening the last fixture.

"I should have finished this ages ago!" she squealed in delight as she took the newly completed item in her hands, did a little twirl and held it above her head with both hands.

"Someone is in a good mood." Alouette remarked, peeking in from the living room. She had been a little delayed in returning from classes thanks to Axl's antics, but she didn't mind it one bit apart from the prospect of worrying Ciel.

"Huh? What time is it?" Ciel thought out loud as she looked out the window and then checked her wristwatch. "No way..."

She then turned walked up to Alouette, giving her a big hug.

"Where have you been anyway?"

"Oh..." Alouette said with her usual smile. "Let's just say that we had a little… unplanned field trip."

* * *

As the stars began to appear in the night sky, Ciel finished her dinner, made sure that Alouette was tended to and set out to the nearest watchtower, currently vacant as things had been almost too tranquil in the previous weeks. As she finished her ascent of the metal structure, she set her backpack down on the floor a safe distance from the stairs and from inside she withdrew a homemade telescope, assembled with salvaged components from an optics factory and some lenses she had made with Cerveau's help. She then pulled out a folding tripod, which had once likely been used along with a camera, and set the telescope on it, using a fixture she had assembled by hand. She removed the lens covers and pointed it at the night sky, then tested the fruit of her labor. As she adjusted the focus, she was rewarded with an inspiring sight. The stars above were shining brightly, almost invitingly, as if they had been patiently waiting for her to turn her gaze skyward.

From the ground, ever watchful, almost like a faithful hound or a dutiful bodyguard, Zero smiled. To avoid drawing excessive attention, and not anticipating any trouble in the settlement for the foreseeable future, he had left his armor at home, instead wearing a green Resistance uniform, somehow managing to tuck his considerable ponytail under the beret. Slowly, people were beginning to treat him more like a normal person instead of staring in awe… and he found that he enjoyed that.

"Come on!" Axl whispered, seemingly out of nowhere, before coming into view, also in uniform. "She's all alone up there, with a sky like this. What are you waiting for?"

"Not now Axl." Zero hissed in annoyance. "Not yet. Let her have this moment in peace."

"You know, if you don't say anything soon, someone else might come along."

"I'll take my chances." Zero retorted, though something told him that was unlikely. "I… want do do this properly."

"I don't hear a no..." Axl said with an earnest smile. "That's… refreshing, actually."

His expression then turned serious.

"Hey, Zero… You know… If I give you so much shit about this, it's because..."

"Yeah, I know." Zero said with a nod. "No need to explain it to me. I can appreciate what you're trying to do. Just… keep it on the down low for now."

"Noted."

Axl then paused and leered at Zero.

"You know… You look surprisingly good in green." he said with a cheeky grin. "Just don't go around smashing pots and chasing chickens."

"That sounds more like the kind of stuff you'd get up to." Zero pointed out.

"In my misspent youth, maybe." Axl retorted with a shrug.

"You're sounding like an old geezer now." Zero remarked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Technically, we're all geezers." Axl said, slapping his back. "But we can't let the young ones have all the work… and all the fun."

On the roof of the watchtower, where he had managed to climb a few hours prior, X smirked in amusement, overhearing the entire exchange with his synthetic ears, far sharper than those of most humans. As he lay there, with his back resting on the metal, he gazed at the night sky as well, before turning his attention to his right hand.

"_What does this all mean?"_ he pondered, as he summoned the faintest flicker of the strange white light onto his open palm, not wanting to interfere with Ciel's stargazing. _"Where does this truly come from… and what will it bring?"_

For the longest time, he had relied on his willpower and Buster, as well as assorted weapons, suits of armor and the occasional Ride Armor. The strange power might have been lingering there from the start, but he had only truly become aware of it after losing the use of his body.

"_L__ove __and courage__, __she said__… __Something to protect.__"_ he mused. _"I suppose I've had plenty of __those__… and my fair share of sorrows."_

Then he paused for a moment, reflecting on the words… and found his concentration broken as he was confronted with the mental image of himself in a black body glove like Zero's, with his glowing hand raised, shouting about love, anger and sorrow.

"_Damnit Axl!"_ he thought, suppressing the urge to laugh. _"__You just had to remind me of that thing."_

Those pieces of entertainment from the old world had proven a most welcome distraction from more serious thoughts, but on the other hand, having them so fresh in his memory made it a little difficult to examine those strange events. Still, he was reunited with his old friends, who were like family to him, was surrounded by new faces he was becoming increasingly fond of, and the future was looking hopeful… though he still longed to see Alia again. For the time being, he found himself relatively soothed.

"_I guess these mysteries can wait another day. For now… I guess I'll just enjoy the view."_

* * *

Elsewhere, far far away…

"They've left quite an impression on you, haven't they?" the woman asked with a knowing smile as she and her companion stood in a strange room seemingly constructed of a silvery metallic substance.

"They're facing a monumental task…" the masked man conceded as he looked outside through a massive transparent window. "I can tell they have their own burdens to bear, but they still press on."

"You like them." she said with absolute certainty.

"And?"

"Why not check up on them later to see how they're doing? We have the means… and all the time we need."

"You know it has always been… difficult for me to connect to others."

"Then change that. I know you can."

"Can I? Truly?" he asked, sounding rather doubtful.

"If you really try." she said, patting an area of the helmet under which his cheek should be. "But you should stop pulling the mysterious stranger act. How do you expect to connect to people if you run off again before they get to know you?"

"The abilities I've unlocked are both a blessing and a curse." he lamented, looking at his armored hand. "This… compulsion to go everywhere, see everything… Sometimes I do wonder… why exactly you put up with this."

"Why indeed..." she said, completely deadpan. "You'll have to figure that one out yourself."

The masked figure sighed and kept looking outside the window where a field of stars was in prominent view. He then reached for the compact console on his left wrist and pushed a button.

"Raziel." he said in a manner of greeting.

"Ah." a male voice replied. "It has been a while. I was wondering if you had changed your mind."

"I always finish what I set out to do." the masked figure said. "Even with some delays. But while I did sense a faint trace of your missing pages here, they are long gone."

"Yes… I already retrieved that particular page some time ago." the voice said. "Still, I hope the journey there was worthwhile."

"You knew." the masked figure said with a hint of annoyance.

"If I had told you that beforehand, you would have simply skipped to the next potential area." the voice said calmly. "Did you or did you not gain something in your time there?"

"I suppose I did." the masked figure conceded. "It is not every day that I get to meet others like us. That said, you could have simply spoken plainly instead of using these silly subt-"

He was interrupted by his surroundings sudden shaking and looked outside the window to find what looked like some sort of white metal construct in a shape resembling some sort of metal bird. He exchanged a confused glance with his companion and, spotting what looked like a cockpit, sent out a transmission.

"Where did you learn to fly?!" he grumbled.

"Sorry, sorry." a goofy voice sounding like a teenage boy replied. "Didn't see you there. Anyway, this is a little embarrassing, but I'm a bit lost. Do you know how to get to La Gias from here?"

"The hell…?" the masked figure muttered.

* * *

The next day, at noon, on a dusty trail in the middle of nowhere…

Tired from the trek and sweating from the blistering heat, Thaddeus pressed on regardless, singlemindedly focused on the mission at hand. His search had led him to an abandoned watch post in an area where few people traveled. The single floor concrete building with a metal tower attached had once been used for monitoring a wildlife preserve before the Einherjar's campaign of destruction against the wilderness. The forests would recover in time, but he was focused on another purpose.

He stopped his refurbished hoverbike, which he had personally rebuilt after uncovering an old underground depot once likely used by the Maverick Hunters of old, and got off. He paused for a moment, hesitant, not knowing what to find inside, but then pushed on.

Inside the building, he found a large backpack, set on the floor next to a sleeping bag. In said sleeping bag, he found a familiar adult-sized but still petite form, seemingly asleep, with her golden hair all over the place. He stepped closer and realized that something was wrong.

"Looks like I got here just in time." he muttered to himself as he placed a hand on her forehead and quickly withdrew it.

"Damnit..." he hissed. "Perfect place to run a fever. What the hell are you doing out here all by yourself anyway?"

Knowing she was in no state to reply, he went back outside and retrieved a pack of supplies from a compartment in the back of the vehicle. He set it down inside and fished around until he found a red pouch. From the pouch he pulled out a small plastic tube and a water bottle. He carefully uncorked the bottle, then pulled a small capsule from the tube, eased it into her mouth and pressed the mouth of the bottle to her lips as he eased her into a sitting position with his free hand.

"I'm getting too old for this shit." he grumbled. "For that matter, so are you. Come on… Your little girl is waiting."

That seemed to elicit a reaction from her, as she weakly opened her eyes and swallowed some of the water, taking the capsule down with it. She looked at him for a moment, still a little dazed, and he started feeling his eyes getting moist.

"You idiot..." he scolded. "We've lost enough friends and colleagues since this whole mess started. What were you thinking?"

"Have you forgotten..." she muttered weakly as she reached for the round framed glasses lying next to her and put them back on her face. "That there are two of them?"

Thaddeus looked at her, dumbstruck.

"Is that why you set out on your own? After all this time..."

She silently nodded.

"You could have said something damnit!" he scolded. "If not to me, then to Ciel."

"I wanted to." she said, looking at him with bloodshot eyes. "But I was afraid that if I wasted any time... she might move again."

He sighed and searched the pockets of his increasingly tattered labcoat, only to find the right side pocket empty, with a hole in the bottom.

"The radio..." he hissed.

He then looked at her.

"I guess we're both idiots." he conceded, feeling more than a little embarrassed.

With another sigh, this time of resignation, he stood up.

"I know how important this is to you... as it should be. So once you're well enough to travel, I'll take you there myself."

"Thanks." she said, still short on breath. "And sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." he said before his restraint cracked and his concern and relief became apparent on his expression. "Just… promise you won't do anything this dumb again."

The next morning, she got up to find him standing guard outside like an old hound.

"Better?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Better." she said with a smile, as she placed the glasses back on her face. In the morning light, tiny golden flickers became noticeable in her pupils, the product of an extremely rare genetic quirk.

"You really should eat something, you know." he cautioned.

"Just did." she replied. "I did pack some trail rations. I am not entirely reckless."

"You could have fooled me." he retorted rather dryly, though the smile on his face told a different story. "Well then, where are we going?"

Hours later, he stopped the hoverbike outside a cave in a dry, mountainous region.

"I'll wait here." Thaddeus said as she hopped off. "This is a family matter after all, and I don't want to make things more awkward than necessary."

"Thank you once again." she said with a nod.

"Don't mention it. Now run along Lune."

She stepped into the cave and after less than a minute found the first signs of human presence in the form of the remains of a recently used campfire. Pressing on, she eventually came upon a pair of metal sheets, laid out as improvised walls. Straining her ears, she could hear the sound of a pen scraping against sheets of paper. Feeling her heart speed up momentarily, she quickened her step.

In a deeper section of the cave, she found the object of her search. Next to a green synthetic fiber tent, a petite figure in a dark blue dress was sitting on a folding chair, using the top of a portable generator in lieu of a table as she continued her scribbles. Hearing the footsteps, the girl looked over her shoulder, bringing into view a familiar face, nearly identical to Ciel if not for the shorter haircut and the dour look on her face.

The girl froze in place, at a loss for words.

"Hello Cial." the woman said with a smile before dashing to hug the girl. "Are you ready to come home?"


	13. What We Lost

Chapter 13 – What We Lost

Stunned, Cial showed no reaction, simply standing there in her mother's grasp until, finally her impassive facade cracked and she silently wept. Lune patiently waited until she finished, after which the petite girl, nearly identical to Ciel, stared right at her.

"I didn't know you'd made it out in time..." Cial managed to say, looking completely exhausted from the silent outpouring.

"I had help." Lune said with a smile. "Besides, it simply wouldn't do to get blasted and leave my two little girls all by themselves. Now then, are you ready to come home?"

"No… I don't think so..." Cial said hesitantly. "I… said some pretty horrible things to my sister the last time we spoke."

"She's still your sister… and she's hurting as much as you."

"Maybe..." Cial said, her expression twisting into a bitter scowl. "But surely she hasn't forgotten about the Head Administrator. The one who encouraged her to keep her pet project going despite all the warning signs. The one who was so desperate for some semblance of order that she ended up enabling a tyrant."

"And the one who realized her mistake and started helping the Resistance from the inside." Lune countered. "Or did you think I wouldn't figure it out?"

"Am I truly that easy to read?" Cial asked with a sad smile.

"The untraceable messages." Lune listed off the top of her head. "The hidden supplies. The maps and other information. There was only one place where all that could be so readily plucked. Only one person able and willing to get all that to us without tripping every alarm in the tower."

"Too little, too late." Cial replied dismissively. "You two were right all along. I was blind and stubborn and defended the indefensible. I might as well have pulled the trigger on that damned cannon with my own hands."

"Don't be ridiculous." Lune said, placing her hands on her daughter's cheeks. "I know you. That's a line you'd never cross."

"How can you?" Cial asked with a sigh. "I don't even know myself anymore."

"Is that why you ran off on your own? What exactly did you hope to accomplish?"

"Most of the Resistance doesn't even know of my existence." Cial said with a shrug. "What do you think people would say if they found out that their savior has such a monster for a sister? Especially one who could easily pass for her."

"What? Were you planning on running off and letting yourself be forgotten?" Lune asked, looking as if she had just been stabbed in the chest. "I don't think so. We've all made mistakes… and we've all paid the price. It's time to look forward."

"And how do you suggest we do that, Mother?"

"The flames are gone. The soil is clear. Now is the time to plant the seeds of a new future. Together."

Cial looked at her for the longest time and then let out a deep, weary sigh.

"You win. At the very least I suppose I should let that sister of mine know that I'm still alive and won't be giving her any trouble. But… I don't want anyone else to know about me. Not yet."

"If anyone has a problem with you, then can bring it up with me." Lune said, straightening her glasses. "Now come on. No daughter of mine is going to stay hidden in a cave like a savage."

"I definitely miss indoor plumbing." Cial said with a smirk. "A soft bed. And don't get me started on those damned bugs."

"Well, come on." Lune said, before giving her another hug. "Let's pack your things and get out of here. We'll figure out the rest later."

* * *

About half an hour later, as mother and daughter stepped outside they spotted Thaddeus, standing there next to the hoverbike waiting for them.

"I should have expected you to be here too." Cial remarked.

"What can I say?" Thaddeus retorted with a shrug. "I couldn't exactly let your mother run off by herself."

"I never could figure you out." Cial said, leering suspiciously at him. "Sometimes I wonder..."

"No, I am not your father, if that's what you're thinking." Thaddeus retorted. "If I were, I wouldn't try to hide it. I'm just a washed up fool trying to keep the last mementos of his old life intact. It won't bring my wife or my boy back, but I'd like to think they'll at least rest a little easier."

"I guess that day left its mark on all of us." Cial said bitterly. "I still don't know what he was thinking."

"Probably that you all had to survive." Thaddeus said, wiping a tear. "The Class of Fifty was my mistake. Gathering such bright young minds in one place only made them a target."

"We survived." Cial recalled. "Ciel and I. Those two girls Rouge and Jaune. But I have no idea what happened to the others. Some were still at or around Neo Arcadia before the end."

Thaddeus let out a sigh and looked into the distance.

"I really made a mess of things with that bright idea."

"Don't." Lune intervened, stepping up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"The idea was mine, was it not?" he insisted.

"It was ours." Lune corrected. "We all made the decision as a team. It ended badly, but now it's time to move on. Eyes on tomorrow, as you used to say."

"I suppose you're right..." he grumbled before reaching into his pocket and producing a small metallic object, which he handed to her.

"This is..." Lune said, confused, recognizing what looked like a key card.

"I restored that relic with my own two hands." Thaddeus said with a sigh as he glanced at the hoverbike. "I'd hoped to pass it on to my boy when he was old enough."

"You don't mean..." Cial realized.

"I won't be needing it anymore." Thaddeus said with a shrug as he began to walk away. "Not where I'm going."

"Wait!" Lune called out. "Where exactly are you going?"

He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"You're right. We need to keep moving forward. But now that I know you two are safe, I have some soul searching of my own to do."

With that, he continued on his way.

"Don't you dare get yourself killed out there, you hear?" Lune shouted. In response, he just smirked.

"I really never could figure you out, old man..." Cial muttered under her breath as she watched him go. "You'd better not leave your bones in the wilderness."

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Well..." Phantom said as the Four Guardians stood at the edge of the Area Zero settlement, casting hesitant glances at the recently built homes and gardens. "Here we are."

"No turning back now..." Harpuia added with a nod.

"You sure about this?" Fefnir asked, glancing at Leviathan.

"Let's just get this over with." she said, nervously looking around.

As the four stepped through, the guard standing on the path made no motion to stop them, instead observing them. Once they were out of earshot, he adjusted his beret and spoke into a concealed radio.

"I don't know how you managed to pull it off, X..." Colbor said in hushed tones. "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

As the four walked through the recently paved main street, they glanced around. To their chagrin, they noticed that the settlement was completely silent and the streets deserted as most of the inhabitants were either away or watching them from behind shuttered windows.

"I suppose this is the best welcome we had the right to hope for." Harpuia mused.

"Just grin and bear with it." Fefnir said with a shrug. "We'll probably be out of here before long."

It was then that they spotted a familiar figure waiting for them, one that had haunted the back of their minds for the longest time. Their predecessor. Their idol. The one whose legacy they had so thoroughly failed to live up to.

"Master." Phantom said reverently.

"For the last time..." X groaned. "Stop calling me that."

In his presence, though slightly diminished by the fact that he was still inhabiting a temporary body, even the irreverent Fefnir nodded respectfully, joining his siblings.

"I am not happy." X said, crossing his arms as he gazed upon them with an inscrutable expression. "You four made quite a mess of things while I was gone."

"We make no excuses." Phantom said.

"We fucked up." Fefnir added.

"And yet you wanted us at your side once again." Harpuia pointed out.

"So what now?" Leviathan asked.

The four looked almost like misbehaving children receiving a scolding from a parent. Though they had heard countless tales of their predecessor's deeds, by the time they had first been activated he had already given up the use of his body in order to seal the Dark Elf. For the most part, their firsthand experiences with the real X boiled down to glimpses of his incorporeal interventions.

"Now..." X said, showing the faintest hint of a smile. "I would like you to help us make things right. But first let's set up some ground rules."

The four exchanged surprised glances, but let him continue.

"Zeroth rule." X started. "None of that reverent crap. I never liked it, and honestly that whole Master thing gets a bit creepy sometimes."

"Go on..." a surprised Harpuia said, while Fefnir snickered and glanced at Phantom.

"First rule." X continued. "No violence in the settlement unless there's a clear and immediate threat to its people. You want to let out some steam, you go outside."

X paused to let that sink in and then continued.

"Second rule. Mind your manners. These people have been through a lot and there are children living here as well. I asked Phantom to call you because I want to believe we can make this work. Don't make me regret it."

"Reasonable enough..." Harpuia said cautiously.

"Third rule." X continued. "Neo Arcadia was an abject failure. All of us are in this together, and we need to make sure nothing like that happens again. I don't want another megalomaniac lunatic popping up as soon as my back is turned again."

The Guardians couldn't help feeling stung by his words, but in the short time they had known the real X, they had grown to realize that the city-state had become exactly what he had not intended.

"Final rule." X added.

At this, the Guardians stared at him expectantly.

"_I guess now is the part where he really chews us out…"_ Fefnir thought.

"Find happiness." X said with a timid smile, eliciting looks of open surprise from all four. "There's more to life than fighting and duty. As your predecessor, I want you to understand that."

Though he was using a borrowed form, not quite capable of the same range of motion and expression, there was something about the look on his face that reduced the four to silence. A mixture of sadness, longing and hope threatened to overwhelm X as he stood there, so intense as to be nearly palpable to them.

It was then that Ciel stepped in, holding Alouette's hand.

"And that's that." she said. "At least for now."

"Why?" Harpuia asked.

"Did you hear a single word of what X just said?" Ciel scolded. "That's why. Being responsible for you for even existing, I hope you too will find your own peace."

Ciel then reached into one of her pockets and produced a set of four keys, presenting them in her hand.

"What's this now?" Phantom asked.

"We can't have our newest residents sleeping on the street now can we?" Ciel retorted. "We saved one of the finished houses in case you did end up coming. It's not too big and it's still being furnished, but it should do. You can always change it later to suit your needs."

"You..." Phantom muttered incredulously, staring at the tangible token of trust danging before his eyes. "After everything we..."

"You're not Weil or that accursed fake." Ciel said, with a hint of anger flashing across her eyes before her smile returned. "You are your own people. I never wanted you four to be drones or yes-men, only to help us build a better future. So go on. Take them. Just… don't disappoint me again."

At a loss for words, Phantom accepted the keys.

"You'd better behave!" Alouette chimed in, before glaring at Phantom in particular. "And you'd better stop sulking!"

"What she said." Zero added, as he stepped into view, trying not to look too amused at their stunned reactions. From a distance, Axl watched too in case things went sour… and out of curiosity to see the Four Guardians up close once again.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Harpuia said with a smirk.

"X was always a big softy." Zero said with a shrug. "As long as you four don't make asses of yourselves, I suppose I can live with this arrangement."

Leviathan swallowed nervously and looked away, visibly uncomfortable. This did not escape Zero's notice.

"What's with her?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. "No taunts, no awkward flirting?"

Phantom shook his head vigorously, trying to convey how bad an idea he felt it was to rile her up in such a state, but Zero did not notice. Instead, he walked closer to her.

"What's wrong?" Zero asked as she started visibly shaking. "It's not like you to be this quiet."

"D-Don't." she hissed.

"Don't what?" Zero asked, still unsure what was going on.

"Oh shit..." Fefnir hissed under his breath.

Leviathan struggled to contain herself, but found that increasingly difficult with Zero so unbearably close. The events following Ragnarok were still far too fresh in her memory, and the knowledge that she had wasted her time fighting for a lie that had ended up costing countless lives was taking a greater toll on her than she had anticipated. Being so close to the object of her one-sided attraction did not help one bit.

"Why won't you understand..." she whimpered, awkwardly backing away.

"Understand what?" Zero asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. "You're not making any sense."

He had defeated her time and again in fair combat and given her thrills beyond anything she had ever imagined. While she had never been particularly bloodthirsty or battle crazy – certainly nowhere close to her crimson clad sibling – something had changed during her first clash of blades with the legendary Maverick Hunter… and it had only grown worse over time.

Perhaps it was the strength of his conviction that had driven the point home, even as an amnesiac fighting at a fraction of his old skill. Perhaps it had been his talent for battle, likely a leftover of his original purpose, that had caught her eye. Perhaps it was both. The end result was the same, compounded by the fact that – if she were to be brutally honest with herself, he cut quite a striking figure to boot. She had never felt anything like that before, and she did not know how to handle it.

"I suggest you back away now..." Fefnir tried to warn.

Then something in her posture suddenly changed. Though still trembling, she instead stepped forward, with a glazed look in her eyes and her cheeks a furious crimson as her senses temporarily took leave of her.

"What the hell?!" Zero muttered, stopping in his tracks as he saw the change.

"You don't understand..." Leviathan hissed, breathing heavily as she edged ever closer. "I don't know what's come over me, but..."

Zero was speechless. Caught completely by surprise, he soon found himself in her grip, with her hands on his cheeks. He froze in place, dumbfounded… and honestly a little scared. He had seen plenty of Reploids lose their minds – usually to the Maverick virus – but this was something he was not prepared to handle. The look in her eyes stirred unpleasant memories he was still struggling to keep contained.

"I need you." she hissed, wide eyed, her face edging closer and closer to his...

Suddenly, the Guardian felt a sharp pain on her cheek… and found herself on the receiving end of a slap. Everyone was stunned into silence as the normally timid Ciel stood there with a wrathful look on her face and her eyes practically sparking, her hand still raised.

"I'm sorry..." Leviathan blurted out, suddenly coming to her senses and hastily breaking away. Even Ciel was surprised to see the tears flowing down her face.

"I was afraid this would happen!" she wailed.

With that, she ran off in a random direction, covering her face with her hands. Even Axl, ever the joker, didn't have the heart to make one of his usual remarks.

"Any other bright ideas, Fefnir?" Harpuia asked dryly.

"Up yours." the irascible Guardian growled.

Ignoring the others, Phantom shook his head and darted after his fleeing sibling.

"Whoa..." Axl muttered under his breath. "I don't think I've ever seen Ciel this mad before."

X sighed and shook his head as he watched the scene unfold.

"_I definitely wasn't expecting something like this to happen. What a mess..."_

"Are you all right?" Ciel asked, her expression softening a little as she looked at Zero.

"I'm not sure..." he said hesitantly. The fact that he noticed her eyes were getting moist definitely did not help matters.

"I can't believe her nerve..." Ciel growled, clenching her fists.

"I don't think she can believe it either." Zero remarked, still shocked.

"Are you defending her?!" Ciel asked in a sudden bout of renewed indignation, spurred on by the sting of jealousy.

"No." Zero clarified, shaking his head. "I just hadn't realized it before… but she's probably as messed up as the rest of us."

"Perhaps a little worse." Harpuia remarked with a frown. "Somehow you've always had people watching your back. People you could confide in even if you didn't realize it. But she was always too proud to open up to us about these matters."

* * *

A few houses away…

"I really made an ass of myself back there..." Leviathan whimpered dejectedly as she sat on the ground behind a house still under construction.

"The fault lies with us as well." Phantom said as he finally caught up and sat next to her.

He sighed and placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.

"We should not have tried to talk you into coming here so soon." he said with a guilty expression. "Clearly some things cannot be settled just by talking face to face… You need more time."

"I'm the one who made a mess of things." she wailed, as tears began to stream down her face once again. "What the hell was I thinking?! I can't believe I did that!"

Phantom said nothing, instead placing a hand on her back and letting her vent for the time being.

"I've never felt this way before about anyone." she lamented. "I don't know what to do. It drives me crazy. It terrifies me."

Seeing her in such a state hurt him in a way that he did not know how to deal with, but still he tried.

"I suppose this sort of thing is the reason why I keep my own emotions restrained."

"Nothing gets to you." she said bitterly. "You just bounce back. I wish I could be more like you."

"Don't." Phantom hissed. "I am like this because I do not know how to be any other way. But trust me, you do not want to be like me."

"In the end, I guess I'm just as immature and unreliable as that damn copy..." she lamented.

"Don't." he snapped, grabbing her shoulders and staring directly at her, with a look of anger and sorrow she had never seen. "Ever. Say. That. Again."

"Seconded." Harpuia added as he suddenly landed next to them.

"What they said." Fefnir chimed in as he caught up with the others at full sprint.

"You guys..." Leviathan said, caught by surprise.

"We're all messed up here Sis." Fefnir said. "One way or another."

"Hubris." Harpuia said. "Excessive zeal."

"Blind obedience." Phantom added. "Rigid thinking."

"And a good dose of anger management issues." Fefnir said. "But we're all in this together, and don't you fucking forget it."

"Some things definitely dud not turn out the way we'd hoped." Harpuia said. "Other things are changing beyond our ability to predict."

"But we'll get through this." Phantom said with a nod. "By sticking together and finding something we can all believe in."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ciel had stormed off to her house to cool her head. However, the day was not over yet as moments later she heard a knock on the door and found Zero waiting outside.

"What?" she asked as she opened the door, still on edge.

"I'm not exactly happy about the way things turned out myself." he said hesitantly. "But I can tell you're even more upset about this than I am."

"I have my reasons." she said defensively, with a sudden rush of heat to her face. "Or would you rather I'd let her do what she wanted?"

"No." he retorted, shaking his head. "I had my suspicions about why she always got so fired up from picking fights with me, but I wasn't expecting… that."

"Oh?"

"Don't get too mad at her for acting rashly while she's in a bad place." Zero said, looking tremendously sad. "We've all done things we're not proud of. But don't get the wrong idea either."

He let out a sigh before explaining further.

"The truth is, I can't give her what she needs. I can't give anyone what they need. I'm not sure why anyone would even come to me looking for that kind of thing in my current state."

"_You might be surprised..." _she thought, before a sudden fear took hold of her heart. _"Or... is this your way of telling me to b__ack off__?"_

To her surprise, he locked eyes with her and gave her a sudden hug, causing her to let out a surprised squeal.

"One of these days, you and I are going to have a very long conversation." he said softly.

She blinked in confusion.

"What?"

"There is no competition." he whispered.

"What do you mean?" she asked in surprise, her heart suddenly racing.

"Only that what she wanted to take has already been claimed." he whispered, gently running a hand over the top of her head. "But it's not ready for the owner to take possession. Not yet."

At this point the pounding on her chest became nearly unbearable.

"Wh-Who would said owner be then?" she asked weakly, her face turning a furious shade of crimson.

"I think you already know." he said with a soft smile.

"Why can't you speak plainly about this then?" she asked, at this point feeling a little dizzy.

"Very well." he replied, at this point smiling in a way she had never seen him do before. "One day when all of this is over and we're whole again… maybe I'll build a home for us with my own two hands… somewhere quiet, out of the way."

That left her absolutely floored, and for a brief moment she was afraid she might actually faint.

"I'm not ready to give you what you want." Zero said with a sigh. "And you're not ready to receive it. You're still young and we both need time to sort ourselves out."

"B-But..." she stuttered, stunned at the realization that he was aware of her feelings and shocked to discover his own. "Wh-When did you…?"

"I'm not as thick as I look." he said with a smirk. "I tried to pretend not to notice. I tried to fight it. I was never the same after what happened to Iris, even if I couldn't consciously remember it when you found me."

"How did you deal with it all?" she asked with a frown.

"By not letting people get too close." he said plainly. "Those who were already there stayed, but I was reluctant to open up to new people. That woman… your ancestor… came close, but there was not enough time."

"I see..." she said, mournful for all that he had endured and elated by the knowledge of his affection in equal measure. "Some things are making a lot more sense now."

"You were forced to grow up too soon." Zero said mournfully. "It happens too often to the bright and to those in extraordinary circumstances. So here's what I propose. Enjoy the days you still have before you're an adult. When the time is right, we'll talk. I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?" she asked hesitantly.

"It'll take more than the end of the world to put me down." he said with a smirk, trying to make light of his habit of surviving the impossible.

With that, he put on the best smile he could muster and kissed her forehead. A simple, innocent gesture of affection, but still the farthest he had ever gone. She felt her heart threatening to jump out of her chest, her face practically glowing red with the rush of heat and her legs turning into jelly underneath her. Intoxicated with emotion, she was unable to muster the wits for a retort.

* * *

About half an hour later, the Guardians returned, with Leviathan trailing slightly behind them. They found X standing in the middle of the street, as if expecting them, alongside Zero. For some reason they couldn't discern, Ciel was sitting on a folding metal chair, with her eyes as wide as dinner plates, shivering slightly and with her face bright red.

"Is Ciel running a fever?" Harpuia asked as he glanced at her. "You may want to get that checked."

"I-I'm fine..." she stuttered.

"_I think you broke her, Zero." _X thought as he tried to conceal a smile.

"Well then..." Zero said. "What's this about now?"

The other three Guardians looked pointedly at Leviathan and she hesitantly stepped forward.

"I-I'm terribly sorry for the way I acted." she said, lowering her head and fixating her gaze on the ground. "It will not happen again, and I hope you can forgive me."

This was yet another surprise for the day. Seeing the normally proud and fierce Guardian so timid and vulnerable left almost everyone present at a loss for words.

"Apology accepted." Zero said, though still visibly uncomfortable about the incident.

Then he glanced at Ciel, as if asking if she had something to say, and it was then that Leviathan understood.

"_So that's how it is..." _she thought, feeling a heaviness in her chest that she did not know what to do with. _"Guess I never stood a chance."_

"L-Let's not speak of this again." Ciel said, still struggling to regain her composure.

"_Well then..." _Leviathan thought, determined to at least accept her final defeat with dignity. _"If that's how it is, then good luck to both, I guess."_

"We will continue to collaborate as previously discussed." Harpuia said, more than eager to change the subject. "But… we are not ready to move into the settlement. The time is not right yet."

"Our offer still stands." X said, though he understood why they would need some distance after such an altercation.

"Don't worry about us." Fefnir said, with a little of his fire returning. "We'll be back later. Of course if you still want to put our dumbass brother back together, we won't stop you either."

"Then we'll keep doing just that." X said. "You know where to find us if you need anything."

* * *

Once the Guardians were out of earshot, Axl stepped back in.

"Between this whole bunch, we'd have enough work to keep a shrink busy for decades." he remarked with a strange look on his face.

"Tell me about it." Zero said with a sigh.

"Can you imagine those four lying on a couch while someone asks them about their mother?" Axl scoffed.

"Technically, wouldn't that be..." X said, though he did not finish his sentence, glancing at Ciel and understanding that the time was not right for that kind of levity.

"What would that make us?" Axl pondered in a hushed tone. "Family sitcom material?"

"I-I still don't know." Ciel managed to say, slowly regaining her composure. "How do you manage to keep cracking jokes after everything you've been through?"

It was then that Axl looked at her with a sad smile.

"But Doc..." he said, sounding incredibly tired. "I am Pagliacci."

And with that, he sat down under the nearest tree, allowing himself to rest.

"Axl..." X said with a sigh. "All this time, you were hurting as much as the rest of us..."

"Pagliacci?" Ciel asked, a little confused.

"It's an old anecdote, from long before our time." X said, actually a little surprised that Axl knew it.

X closed his eyes for a moment and explained.

"It goes something like this. A man is incredibly depressed and goes to a doctor."

"The doctor says that he should take the day off and go see this great clown." Zero added, remembering the story as well. "That Pagliacci can make anyone laugh and feel better about themselves. You can guess the rest."

"I see..." Ciel pondered, still surprised that he would have been hiding under everyone's noses for so long. "I guess I didn't really know Axl until recently. At first I thought he was a bit of an eccentric, maybe still a little on the immature side. Now I finally understand."

She walked to Axl, who at this point was just looking at her.

"Very good Doc." Axl said. "I guess my shapeshifting abilities can't hide some things completely."

"And so you play the part of the goofball." she said. "You tried to cheer other people up with your antics and forget your own pain."

"Oh, it's not all bad." Axl said, perking up slightly. "After all, the old trio is together again, and we have something new and exciting to look forward to. That's all I need."


	14. Simple Truths

Chapter 14 – Simple Truths

The next day, Zero had set out on his own early in the morning, finding exactly the person he was looking for on the way to the workshop in the shed.

"Cerveau. We need to talk."

The Chief Engineer stopped in his tracks and looked at him.

* * *

A few minutes later, at Cerveau's modestly sized home…

"I'm still worried about Ciel." Zero said as Cerveau poured strong coffee into two mugs.

"About her burning her younger years away, doing the workload of two or three adults?" Cerveau asked, setting the mugs down on the table and taking a seat as well.

"Don't look at me like that." Cerveau said, noticing Zero's surprised reaction. "I have eyes. Between the general planning meetings, the work on X's new body, the occasional hand with Andrew's project and a million other things, there isn't enough coffee in the multiverse to keep her standing indefinitely."

Zero grabbed one of the mugs and hesitantly took a sip of the bitter drink, then set the mug back down.

"You don't like it any more than I do then."

Zero looked at Cerveau and elaborated further.

"She's not as bad as she was a few months ago, but there's only so much I can do. X and Axl have been helping, and so have the movie nights, but we need something more. As you said, she's too young for that lifestyle."

"Reploids could live forever, in theory." the Chief Engineer mused. "But she isn't one and it's not right for her to be doing this to herself. It's good that you three keep looking for ways to distract her, but we need a more permanent solution."

"I agree." Zero said with a nod. "She needs to learn to delegate. Unfortunately, she hates leaving work unfinished. I think work is her way of coping with all the crap she's been through. The answer then… is to find enough people with talent and experience… and getting the people we already have to step up to the plate."

"Another reason to get X back to full strength then." Cerveau pondered. "Getting him to agree to take some responsibilities, however..."

"No..." Zero said, shaking his head. "He spent centuries busting his ass and deserves a break, at least for now. We need someone else."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Cerveau rushed to answer and as he opened the door, Zero tried to take another sip of coffee… before glancing in the door's direction and freezing in place, nearly choking.

"Hello Cerveau." Lune said with a smile before noticing the guest. "And you must be Zero. I've heard a lot about you."

The resemblance to the woman in his memories was haunting, and it took him a moment to be able to say anything.

"Have we… met before?" he asked hesitantly.

"I don't think so." she said, still smiling. "But I must thank you for looking after my little girl."

"Your… little girl?" Zero asked, caught by surprise as realization set in. "Wait… I thought..."

As the door opened fully, Zero then saw another figure, the same height as Ciel and with the same general petite frame, though covered in a brown cloak and wearing what looked like a black air filtering mask with an opaque crimson visor.

"It'll take more than Ragnarok to get rid of me." Lune said with a grin, before her expression became downcast. "But from what I hear, it sounds like Ciel has been overdoing it again."

"I can understand where she's coming from." Zero said with a sigh, speaking from experience. "After everything that's happened, it must be difficult for her to stay still."

Feeling the intent gaze upon him, he then glanced at the petite figure.

"And you are?"

The figure said nothing.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Zero remarked.

"She just has a lot on her mind." Lune said, patting the petite figure's back.

"Actually..." Zero realized. "What happened to the grump in a labcoat who was looking for you? Thaddeus, was it?"

"He's gone." Lune said with a sigh. "I don't know where he went or when he'll be back, but I hope he finds some peace for himself out there."

"Your timing is perfect, actually." Zero continued. "We managed to get Ciel to slow down a bit, but she does have this tendency to dive into work. I think few people would be as qualified to advise us as her own mother."

"As much as we all appreciate having a genius of her caliber around here..." Cerveau added. "We need to find a better way to share the load."

"It's a good thing we came back when we did then." Lune said.

"As for X..." Zero said. "I'll definitely have to think things over. He definitely deserves a break… but he does have experience as a leader. Experience that this place needs."

"Well, if there's anyone here who can talk him into it..." Cerveau pondered. "That would be you. I know I tried."

"As much as I dislike the idea of being in charge of anything again..." Zero added. "I'll probably have to think about my priorities too. I can't just keep wandering around or playing groundskeeper with Old Andrew while there's so much work to be done."

Aside from occasionally sneaking out to gather fresh fruit and berries for Ciel, helping her with the heavy lifting and plowing soil and going for his long walks, Zero had actually found enough time to try his hand at tending to plants. He wasn't quite ready to unveil the results of that little experiment, however. As for his patrols, they had turned into nothing more than additional walking, since there was nothing remotely dangerous to be on the lookout for. Even the wildlife seemed calmer in general once the aftershocks of Ragnarok had passed.

"By the way..." Zero remembered. "That stray Mechaniloid that came at us a while ago. Did you ever find out where it came from?"

"What's this about another Mechaniloid?" Lune asked, having heard of the attack on the old Resistance base.

"An old factory running autonomously." Cerveau explained. "That thing was an earlier model. Not as dangerous as the one you fought before, but definitely still a menace for most people. We think that place may have been cut off from the network or simply abandoned and forgotten in the confusion after you kicked down Neo Arcadia's door a couple of times."

"I'll have to go take a look at the place myself later." Lune said. "It should have plenty of useful materials and equipment."

"Yes..." Zero pondered. "But right now I think a certain girl needs her mother back more than anything else."

"_This is the legend who was such a thorn on Neo Arcadia's side?"_ Cial thought as she silently took the measure of his character. She had only seen him before on surveillance footage and old records of the Maverick and Elf Wars, and was rather surprised at the way he was acting in person.

"You." she finally said, the breathing mask suitably distorting her voice. "What exactly do you want from all of this?"

"So you do speak." Zero retorted. "I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more specific though."

"There are no more wars to fight here." Cial insisted. "No more enemies to eliminate. Yet you still linger. Why?"

Lune winced ever-so-slightly. Cial had never been one to mince words, and her way of cutting straight to the point without much tact could put some people off.

"I'm not just a fighting machine." Zero said, rather annoyed to find himself so bluntly questioned by someone he didn't even know. "In the end, maybe I just want the same as everyone else. Peace of mind and something to look forward to. The former is a work in progress. The latter I have right here."

"_A very human way of thinking."_ Cial pondered bitterly, reflecting once again upon her mistakes. _"I guess fighting prowess would not be enough to explain why Ciel and the others placed so much faith in him."_

"And what exactly are you… looking forward to?" she pushed further.

"Something new." Zero said resolutely. "Something better."

Even the former Head Administrator of Neo Arcadia couldn't help feeling impressed by the intensity of his presence, though she refused to show any sign of that.

"You want to keep Ciel from falling into her old habits, then?" Cial said evenly. "Perhaps we can be of assistance."

"And who exactly are you?" Zero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A story for another time." Cial retorted before turning around and walking back outside.

As she was about to cross the threshold, she glanced over her shoulder.

"We will be in touch."

"Just what exactly is going on here?" Zero asked, staring at Lune. "Where have you been anyway?"

"I can't tell you all the details now." Lune said, straightening her glasses with a frown. "But there was something I had to take care of. Something that couldn't wait. Now then… where is Ciel?"

* * *

A few minutes later, as the scientist and the legend stood in front of the modestly sized yet comfortable looking abode…

"All of this in a matter of months." Lune said appreciatively, examining the sturdy metal sheet walls. "She always knew how to get things done."

"I'll say this much." Zero said, cracking a faint smile as he tried not to make the full extent of his feelings too obvious. "She has this way of drawing people to her and giving them something to believe in."

Cial watched from a distance, her outfit concealing her features but not her anxiety. She took a deep breath to steady herself and then watched as Zero knocked on the door and her twin came out… soon followed by Alouette.

"_Just what has she been up to while I was gone?!"_ she thought, utterly baffled as she watched the way Ciel's entire body language shifted in Zero's presence.

Then, she watched Zero pick up the small Reploid girl and as Ciel stepped closer and wrapped an arm around him, her eyes twitched under the breathing mask.

"_Looks like she has developed… other interests as well..."_

For her part, Lune simply watched, soothed by the joy on open display, just as she thought of some very pointed questions to ask Zero later. She then waited for Ciel's momentary bout of tunnel vision to fade and for the petite genius to realize the show she was putting up in front of her own mother.

"I leave for a while to sort some things out, and come back to find you already with a little girl of your own?" she teased with a grin, leaving both Ciel and Zero looking like a pair of deer caught in headlights.

Standing at a distance, but still close enough to overhear them, Cial rolled her eyes.

"_Really, Mother?"_

Ciel looked at Lune as if she had been struck by lightning.

"Mother!" she gasped. "You're…!"

"Yes, alive. I've been getting that a lot lately." Lune said with an earnest smile as one of the brightest minds in three hundred years reverted to a tearful girl clinging to her mother's chest. For her part, Lune just gave her a tight hug and let her pour out her relief and longing.

"_Perhaps she has not changed that much after all..." _Cial pondered, still keeping herself far enough away to avoid their notice.

She then sensed a presence behind her and looked over her shoulder with a start… only to find Axl grinning at her like an idiot.

"And you are?" he asked, though by the tone and the smug look on his face it was likely that he already knew.

"Do you not have anything better to do?" she hissed in annoyance.

"Oh, you know..." Axl retorted with a shameless grin. "Just keeping an eye out for unsavory characters, possibly of the masked variety."

"If it is unsavory characters you are looking for, perhaps you should look in a mirror." she hissed.

"Good to see you too, Ice Queen." Axl said without missing a beat. "I thought you'd come around."

"Well played..." she grumbled, still surprised at his ability to disconcert and infuriate her.

"You know, there aren't exactly that many people out here with that exact body type and size." Axl pointed out, looking even more smug if such a thing were possible.

"What do you want?" she grumbled.

"Just looking out for my friends, that's all." Axl said with a shrug. "Don't worry. I won't spoil the surprise."

"With a rogue like you lingering around my sister, that is the least of my concerns."

"She's cute, I'll admit." Axl said, again without a hint of shame. "But I'm too old for her and she only has eyes for my long haired bro over there. Maybe I should try growing mine out. But what about you? Anyone stolen that ice block in your chest yet?"

"_I really don't need this right now..." _Cial thought, fighting off an imminent headache.

She then glanced in Ciel's direction and sighed.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Axl asked.

"I don't have to tell you everything." Cial grumbled. "In fact, I don't have to tell you anything."

"Let me guess…" Axl said, crossing his arms. "After coming all the way here, you don't know what to say and don't want a repeat of last time."

She didn't reply at all, hating the fact that he was right.

"I know what it's like." Axl added, some of the playfulness vanishing from his tone and expression. "It wasn't easy for me to approach X and Zero again after all those years, so I kept putting it off."

And then he went right back to his clown act.

"Do you need me to hold your hand and walk you there?"

"You'll be seeing my hand a lot closer than you'd like if you keep pursuing that line of inquiry." Cial hissed, raising her open hand. Before he could make another of his usual remarks, she turned and walked away.

"_That's right."_ Axl thought, grinning like an idiot again. _"As long as you do what you need to do, I don't care how mad you get at me."_

As he watched her go, however, another thought took form in his mind.

"_That girl really needs a good laugh. Her and Levi both."_

"And stop frowning so much!" he shouted as a parting shot. "You've going to get wrinkles!"

He was lucky that there were no rocks lying around, or she might have thrown one or two at him. Instead she grumbled something under her breath. If he had an inkling of what was going on, Zero might have warned him that he was playing with fire, but the saber wielding Hunter was too busy dealing with his own issues… and Axl would most likely have ignored him anyway.

* * *

A few weeks later, in the wilderness…

"_I made a complete fool of myself back there..." _Leviathan thought indignantly. _"What was I thinking?!"_

She then turned her attention to her green clad sibling, who was standing in front of her in a fighting stance.

"Come on!" Leviathan growled, brandishing her spear. "Bring it!"

"I think that's quite enough." Harpuia said, deactivating the purple energy blades mounted on his armlets.

"Ditto." Fefnir added from her flank, putting down his massive hand cannons.

Furious at her moment of weakness and the ensuing display, Leviathan had been straining herself for days, first in the old facility the Guardians were using and then, at Phantom's insistence, outside where she wouldn't accidentally damage anything important. Still, it was not enough.

"Fine." she huffed, before surveying her surroundings.

Targets sturdy enough for her to practice on were scarce in that area, right at the edge of a thick jungle, but she found the dry, dead remains of an old tree. She took a running start and rose her fist, then punched with all her might, smashing through the wood in a shower of splinters. She then surveyed her handiwork and sighed in frustration.

"_What am I?!" _she thought, furious at herself. _"Some adolescent twit?"_

Though her body could not feel fatigue, her mind was quite capable of it, and so she eventually found herself sitting down at the edge of a pond, absently staring at the small fish swimming within.

* * *

A few more weeks passed, during which Phantom made the occasional trip back to the settlement to confer with X and check up on things. Slowly, the inexorable passage of time began to turn the leaves in nearby trees a golden brown and the days began to grow shorter.

One day, as he arrived yet again, he found someone unexpected waiting for him.

"You're late." Alouette said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You know better than to be out alone at this hour."

"I heard you were coming again." she said with a shrug. "Thought I'd come and wait for you here."

"Strange girl..." Phantom muttered to himself.

"What?" she retorted with a cheeky smile. "I told you before, didn't I? I'm not afraid of you."

"Not that long ago I was an enemy of your people." Phantom pointed out, still baffled by how bold she had become over time.

"I've been around Zero long enough to know when someone is hiding something." she said, looking rather amused at his reaction. "You're not so different from him."

"What do you mean?"

"You try to act like nothing gets to you." Alouette said, still smiling. "In front of most people, at least. But you slip here and there. Especially last time."

"I thought Ciel didn't want to speak of… that again." Phantom recalled, noticeably uncomfortable to be reminded of the incident with Leviathan.

"She doesn't." Alouette said, suddenly frowning. "But I'm not gonna lie. The whole thing bothered me. Especially seeing Ciel so furious… and your sister in such a state."

"Why do you care?" Phantom asked, scowling as if he had just tasted a lemon.

"I still don't understand everything." Alouette admitted. "Zero says I still think like a child in some ways. But I understand that even you four have hearts. How is she?"

"Did Ciel put you up to this?" Phantom asked suspiciously.

"You know she'd just ask you if she wanted to know." Alouette retorted, shaking her head. "Well?"

"Furious at herself, if you must know." Phantom said with a sigh.

"I'm not too happy about what she did." Alouette admitted. "She didn't have the right. But you grown ups are complicated and X says I shouldn't be too quick to judge, so I try not to."

"I suppose we are." Phantom mused. "And sometimes, we can end up doing things without even understanding why."

With that, he looked at the shorter girl. He hesitated for a moment, then, unsure why he even cared if anyone saw, looked around to make sure nobody else was watching. Satisfied, he patted her head.

"Come on." he finally said. "Let's get you home before someone gets worried."

Just around the corner, leaning with his back against the wall of a house, Axl grinned like an idiot.

"_She's right, you know."_ he thought, trying not to laugh. _"You and Zero aren't that different. __Y__ou should try being a little more honest__.__"_

* * *

A few minutes later, as the odd pair reached Ciel's house, the petite scientist peeked out the window. Upon spotting them, she dashed outside.

"There you are." she said with a smile, before picking up Alouette and lifting her off her feet.

"Quite a smart one, isn't she?" Phantom remarked. "I'll have to watch myself around her."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked, a little confused.

"From the mouths of babes and fools the truth comes out, as the saying goes." Phantom said.

"So you admit it then." Alouette said with a smug grin.

"I admit nothing, child." Phantom retorted, trying to maintain his usual facade in front of Ciel… and failing. "You can't prove anything."

"What are you talking about?" Ciel asked, a little suspicious of his choice of words.

"Don't get the wrong idea." Phantom corrected. "She simply got it in her head that I share some traits with your so-called savior. I don't know why."

"Back to the act again now that someone else is watching, are we?" Alouette teased. "Suit yourself."

"You really do have quite a mouth on you, child." Phantom said, rolling his eyes.

"So they say." Alouette retorted, her grin even wider.

"Must you always have the last word?" Phantom asked, a little irritated. She silently retorted by sticking her tongue out at him.

As if on cue, Zero returned from one of his strolls, wearing the green uniform he had become so accustomed to.

"What did I miss?" Zero asked, noticing the satisfied look on Alouette's face.

"Just a certain someone being stubborn." Alouette said, cheeky as ever.

"Where's the Ma… X anyway?" Phantom asked. Though he'd had his fun being contrarian and irreverently reverent, that joke had run its course and he did not wish to make too much of a nuisance of himself.

"Just going over the design notes for his new body… and yours." Ciel said. "Something to look forward to, but it's still going to take some time."

"That's not why I'm here." Phantom clarified. "I do believe there was some data you were interested in."

"Go on..." Ciel said, already running projections in her mind.

"There was a small disruption in weather patterns when the cannon fired… as you predicted." Phantom said. "But it will only be temporary and should not affect your plans. In short, for now you can keep using traditional farming techniques and keep up the expansion timetable instead of shifting manpower and resources to set up hydroponic greenhouses."

"That's good to know." Ciel said. "And the weather monitoring stations?"

"While Weil had absolutely no interest in anything outside the city walls unless it involved destruction..." Phantom elaborated. "The equipment is still mostly intact."

"So we just need to get some people there to do maintenance and..." Ciel mused.

"There is no need." Phantom said.

"What do you mean?" Zero asked.

"It's already been taken care of." Phantom explained.

As he felt Ciel and Zero's surprised gazes upon him, Phantom shrugged.

"You are not the only one who uses manual labor as therapy, Ciel. It can be… a pleasant change of pace."

"In that case, thank you." Ciel said appreciatively. "I'll have to figure out how to lay down some cabling to let us collect data directly from the equipment but there's no time for that now."

"Why not use wireless transmitters instead?" Zero pointed out.

"Because we don't have enough of those." Ciel explained. "And because the time and parts that go into assembling one wireless data transmitter from scratch could be better spent on two personal radio communicators or five luminescent cells. It's just not practical right now."

"I think I remember seeing some old wireless relays stored in the outpost we're using." Phantom pondered. "I could be mistaken, but I will confirm and let you know. The amount of useful equipment that was abandoned or misplaced when certain people decided the outside world was not worth settling in was borderline criminal."

"Then I am in your debt once again." Ciel said appreciatively.

"You owe me nothing." Phantom retorted. "I am simply fulfilling my original purpose… and making up for my mistakes."

And with that, he left.

* * *

Things had been a bit awkward between Zero and the Guardians since Leviathan's outburst, and she had made a point to stay away from the settlement and avoid any contact with him. However, it was only a matter of time until their paths crossed again.

Such was the case one afternoon, as a certain boyish Resistance captain went out for a stroll, having offered to do some survey work with the settlement's future expansion in mind. It was also a perfect excuse to stretch his legs and enjoy the outdoors.

"_No wonder Zero loves his walks so much." _he pondered as he approached a small hill overlooking a tiny stream.

Atop the hill, Leviathan was gazing into the distance after another bout of training, still trying to discern her new purpose in life. Hearing a faint rustling in the grass, she abruptly snapped to attention.

"Hey there, sea dragon." Axl said with his usual cheeky grin as he stepped out of nowhere. "Come here often?"

Ignoring her annoyed glare, he stepped closer, flashing the biggest smile he could muster.

"This view is too nice to enjoy alone. Care for some company?"

"Not on your life kid." Leviathan retorted, shooting down his blatant flirting attempt.

"Maybe if I grow my hair a bit and start hitching rides on missiles..." Axl mused, still smiling as he leered at her.

"Do you see this hand?" Leviathan snapped, showing her open palm and outstretched fingers.

"Yes, it's very nice." he said with his usual shamelessness. "Looks soft too."

"You're just a little pest, aren't you?" she grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Maybe you really do need a good spanking."

"If that's what you're into..." Axl retorted. "I try to keep an open mind."

"Don't push it." she hissed, glaring daggers at the impudent gunslinger before whacking him over the top of the head with the flat side of her spear and walking away, rolling her eyes.

A moment later there was another rustling in the grass behind him.

"Do you really have to push her buttons like that?" Zero, having caught up with Axl, asked once she was out of earshot.

"I'm just trying to get a good laugh out of her." Axl said with a shrug. "If there's anyone who needs it, it would be her and the Ice Queen."

"_Ice Queen?"_ Zero thought, a little confused.

"That's… one way of looking at it." Zero conceded. "But I don't think that's going to work. The only times I've ever seen her laugh were when she was fighting me and… let's not go there."

"You know pal..." Axl teased. "With your looks and charisma, you probably get half the Resistance hot and bothered just standing there."

"Your point?" Zero asked, clearly not liking where the conversation was going.

"Well..." Axl said, grinning again. "If you were a less serious guy, you could probably have all the ladies eating off your hand. Between the Doc, the Ice Queen, Miss Sea Dragon over there, the lovely ladies at Mission Control. Hell, even your future mother-in-law looks-"

"Of course a shameless flirt like you would say that." Zero grumbled, rolling his eyes. It did not occur to Zero to ask how he even knew of Lune.

"I know. I'm terrible." Axl said without a hint of shame.

"When did you start making up dumb nicknames for everyone around you anyway?"

"Hey, a guy needs his hobbies." Axl said with a shrug.

"Your hobbies are going to get you punched in the face one of these days." Zero grumbled. "And when that happens, I'm not bailing you out."

"Par for the course, old buddy. Par for the course."

"What, don't tell me all these years turned you into a masochist on top of everything else." Zero remarked. "How many women actually fall for your clown act anyway?"

"More than you'd think." Axl retorted with a grin.

"Then why haven't I seen any of them around you?"

"Ah, buddy..." Axl said with a sigh. "You got me there. I suppose you're not the only one who lost the taste for it after one too many bad days."

"You?!" Zero asked incredulously.

"Would you believe me if I told you that there was a time when I was this close to quitting my antics for good?" Axl asked in turn, making a squeezing motion with his thumb and index finger.

"I suppose stranger things have happened..." Zero mused. "Such as the three of us being reunited like this after all these years."

* * *

At dusk, as Ciel once again continued her work on X's new body, she heard the workshop door opening. She looked over her shoulder, putting down the precision tools for a moment, and saw Lune stepping inside.

"I figured you'd be here." she said, eyeing her daughter's handiwork.

The skeletal structure was nearly finished and the synthetic musculature was already partially installed, but there was still some work to be done. Ciel had painstakingly attempted to make the new form as similar to the old one as possible, but, taking heavy inspiration from Zero's design – whose second body had been in turn based on X's original – she had managed to make some improvements to the original design, improving its durability in hopes of preventing another replacement from ever being needed. Her experiences building the Four Guardians and a certain copy had also helped refine her skills… but she tried not to dwell too much on that part of her life.

"Nothing but the best will do for such a hero..." Ciel said. "And such a dear friend. It's funny, you know. Just how much he reminds me of myself sometimes."

"When you were small enough to carry with one arm, I'd hoped that you would get to meet him eventually." Lune said. "Not under the circumstances it happened, but I'm still glad you did meet. Just remember. Your body can't be so easily replaced, so take good care of your health."

"Did you know him already?" Ciel asked.

"No. By the time I started getting serious about science, he was already gone."

Lune then leered at her daughter with a mischievous look on her face.

"Of course a certain someone in the family did get to cross paths with him and your beau. Great-grandaunt Estelle, I believe. It's almost like Zero is some kind of… family heirloom."

"M-Mother!" Ciel protested, feeling a rush of heat to her cheeks, but making no attempt to deny her feelings.

"As long as he's a gentleman and gives you time to grow up first, I won't object." Lune said, with a brief flash of steel in her eyes. "But if he breaks your heart or makes an ass of himself… well..."

"You're… surprisingly calm about this..." Ciel said hesitantly.

"He's been around for centuries, that's true… but I'd be doing a disservice to you by treating you like a child." Lune said with a sigh. "You have a better head on your shoulders than some people three times your age. In fact… maybe both of you were born a little too gifted for your own good."

"Both of us..." Ciel echoed, staring right at her. "Are you talking about..."

"Yes dear." Lune said with a nod.

"I wonder what exactly she's up to anyway." Ciel pondered. "She's been way too quiet since I left Neo Arcadia. Unless..."

Sensing her unease, Lune reassured her with a smile.

"No dear… she's still very much alive."

"Are you sure?" Ciel asked, still uneasy.

"I have it on very good authority." Lune confirmed, nodding again.

An ambivalent expression appeared on the young scientist's face as she struggled with her unresolved feelings. The decision to leave Neo Arcadia once and for all had been a difficult one, after months losing her faith in herself and her creations… and the disagreements between the twins escalating.

"Despite our differences..." Ciel said with a sigh. "I'm glad she's made it out."

"You do realize that she's at least partially responsible for some of the Resistance's successes, right?" Lune pointed out. "Those information leaks, those patrol routes and the locations of supply stores and prisoners. Many of them came from the tower."

"I had my suspicions..." Ciel pondered. "Some of those data packages were far too detailed. Too neat. She definitely had the access privileges… and was always a bit neurotic about things being clean and orderly."

"She was always a little too focused on order for her own good." Lune conceded. "The way she kept her clothes, her room, her school supplies. It was unnatural, just like her need to be in complete control of herself at all times. But that doesn't matter right now."

Ciel looked at her mother quizzically, sensing that she had not brought up the subject of Cial simply to reminisce.

"What would you say to her..." Lune asked. "If you saw her again?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Would you want to?"

"Of course." Ciel retorted, stung by the question. "Who do you take me for?"

"That… can be arranged." Lune said before giving her another hug. "On another note, joking aside, I do think you made the right choice about Alouette."

"Another surprise life threw at me." Ciel said with a smile. "She's a beam of sunshine in everyone's lives around here."

"As long as she isn't just a replacement for… him." Lune said with a frown.

"Don't even kid about it, Mother." Ciel said, shaking her head. "She was too young to remember some of the things he did… and I still don't quite know how I'm going to tell her that the monster who uprooted her life was created by my hands."

"Make no mistake though." Ciel added, perking up. "I didn't bond with her just out of guilt for his actions. I'm too young to be thinking about having children of my own, but a little sister… that, I can manage."

"You've done a fine job from what I've seen so far." Lune said appreciatively. "She absolutely adores you and your friends."

"I just wonder how Cial is going to react when she finds out that she has another sister." Lune mused with an amused grin. "Then again, maybe Alouette will be a good influence on her."

"I don't see Cial changing overnight..." Ciel pondered. "But it sounds like she has changed already while I wasn't looking."

"Or maybe she's simply started being a little more honest with herself."

* * *

Elsewhere, as night continued to fall…

"You've been avoiding me, X." Milan said as he finally caught up with X, who was in the process of adjusting Ciel's telescope atop the watchtower.

"It was not my intention." X said, stopping to look at him face to face. "I simply have been doing a lot of thinking."

"About what?"

"The future." X said. "The future and this strange power."

"So you still don't know where it comes from?" Milan asked, looking a little disappointed.

"I had… an interesting encounter a while ago that helped me understand it a little better." X said. "But I don't think that's the end of it. As far as I can tell, all living things have the potential for it to an extent. This light… is the essence of life itself."

"Then why can't all of us use it like you do?"

"I don't know. There's still too much I don't know. But I'm sure of one thing."

"What's that?"

"Back then, in that buried lab..." X recalled. "While Zero was fighting off the Pantheon's onslaught and I stumbled upon you, bleeding and broken… I sensed something else."

"What do you mean?"

"There was… someone else there." X said. "Someone else wielding the same power. I'm sure of it now. A few levels above us, probably trying to keep some of the enemy busy."

"Who?"

"I have no idea. Until very recently I wondered if I was the only one. Nobody else I know had manifested it."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"At the time I was too focused on taking down that copy and making things right. After that, I almost gave into the temptation of just running off and letting myself fade away."

"Why?" Milan asked, completely at a loss.

"I suppose I was tired of it all… and maybe feeling guilty and depressed about my failures. Looking back, I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking."

"So what changed your mind?"

"Believe it or not, it was Phantom who talked me out of it."

"I... definitely did not see that coming." the Resistance operative admitted. "I don't know what's going on with the Guardians, but they feel… different after all of this."

Milan paused for a moment to think, then voiced the question in his mind.

"But what's next? For you, I mean."

"Now that my head is back in the game, I'm just biding my time… until I'm back to full strength with the body Ciel is building for me… and until I have enough information to take care of another bit of unfinished business."

"You mean those lost siblings you mentioned before?"

"Someone else, too. Someone… who means the world to me. I can only hope she somehow made it and is still out there."

"You're just full of surprises." Milan said with a smile. "Ciel is right. Most of us saw you and Zero as legends, but at the end of the day you're people like us."

"Disappointed?"

"On the contrary. When I set out to help Ciel find Zero, I'd never imagined I'd end up being able to talk to you like this. I'm glad my time on Earth didn't end in that crumbling half-flooded basement."

"It does feel refreshing to have others treat me like a person." X said with a nod. "One of the reasons why I tried to conceal this power was because I did not want people treating me like some sort of messiah. My so-called legend was already out of control."

"I guess there are things far more important to you than keeping a low profile though. Which is good."

"That said, I have to be careful." X said, looking at his open hand. "I feel much stronger now that I have a physical form again and my heart and mind are on the mend, but this temporary body is too fragile. I don't know what might happen if I overuse this power while still in it."

* * *

A couple of hours later, with nightfall having fully set in, X made his way back to Ciel's house.

"Come on!" she said with a smile as she ushered him in.

Inside he found Zero, Axl and Alouette already sitting in the living room couch in front of the screen, with the latter two already going through the popcorn before the session had even started.

"You two..." X said with a chuckle.

"Don't worry." Zero said. "We made enough to last through the whole thing this time."

The screening sessions had become a semi-regular event for the small group, as a way of getting Ciel to unwind while indulging in the Maverick Hunters' nostalgia for the old world and helping her understand the past a little better. The previous session they had watched an old, emotional romantic comedy, but at Axl and especially Alouette's behest, they had switched back to the giant robot shows of old. The way her eyes lit up at such ludicrous heroics made Zero proud, though he had been careful to screen out anything that might upset her at such an age.

"Hey Ciel!" Zero called out, looking almost as giddy as Axl and Alouette. "After you're done with X's new body, do you think maybe..."

"Absolutely not." Ciel cut him off. "I'm not building you a giant robot."

"Aw!" Zero whined in a way that definitely resembled Axl. "Why not? It would be awesome!"

"First of all, it would be a waste of time and materials." Ciel said, wagging her finger as if scolding a mischievous child. "Secondly, if I built you one, then Axl would want one too, and then you two might flatten the settlement with your horseplay. Not to mention there's a good chance Fefnir would hear about this and want to join in. You two can be almost as bad as him sometimes."

The way Ciel completely shut down his old partner's flight of fancy surprised and amused X in equal measure, and he was unable to suppress a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Zero asked, pouting like a little boy.

"But Zero..." Alouette pondered. "You may person sized, but after all the stuff you, X and Axl did, wouldn't it be fair to call you Super Robots?"

"Huh..." Axl interjected with an amused smile. "That's one way of looking at it."

"But..." Alouette added, staring at Ciel intently. "If you're not building him a giant robot…Would you build me a suit of armor?"

"Hell no!" Ciel and Zero protested in unison, turning to her at the exact same time.

"Already acting like doting parents, huh?" Axl teased with a grin.

"Quiet you." Ciel retorted, lightly bonking him on the head with her knuckles even as her face turned a slight shade of crimson.

"But why not?" Alouette asked with a pleading look on her face.

"I never want to see you wear something like that." Zero said, his expression absolutely serious.

"Alouette..." Ciel added with a frown, patting the small girl's head. "Listen. I don't know how long I'll be staying on this Earth… but I hope that before my time is done it'll be a place where nobody ever needs to fight again."

"What Ciel said." Zero added. "I can understand being in love with the idea of playing hero at your age, but don't mistake the shenanigans on the screen for reality. I've lost enough people I cared about and I don't want to see you hurt."

"My maker dreamed of everlasting peace." X chimed in. "I don't know if that will ever come true, but for once in our lives we don't have to fight anymore. Let's try to keep things that way."

"I just thought it would be cool, that's all." Alouette said, surprised by their reactions. "I know if anything bad happens my Big Brothers will save the day again."

Her sweet, earnest smile was as disarming as always, and not even Ciel was immune to it despite having one of her own.

"Clever girl." Zero remarked with a smile, before patting her head as well.

"But wait." Axl said with a grin. "If Ciel adopted her as a sister… and now she calls you brother too..."

Zero rolled her eyes, anticipating another smartass remark.

"B-But!" Axl said in a high pitched girly voice, holding both his cheeks with his mouth wide open in mock shock. "That's forbidden l-"

"Quiet you." Zero interrupted, lightly bonking him over the head with his knuckles.

Once the banter eventually died down, they finally turned their attention back to what had gathered them for the evening. Once again, they returned to the same show that had introduced Ciel to the genre, and once again she found herself caught in the mood. The protagonist's resemblance to Zero definitely fed her imagination once again, but she did her best not to embarrass herself.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Cial made her way through the empty streets, still clad in her disguise. After much hesitation on her part and some prodding from her mother, she had finally gathered the courage to step forward while Lune watched from a distance. The streets were silent, and she could hear the sounds of nocturnal life in the distance – including the insects she dreaded, but which she did her best to ignore. The peaceful mood even elicited a smile from her, though hidden by the breathing mask.

Then, about a block away, she heard a loud shout, coming from the direction of Ciel's home. Startled, she suddenly broke into a sprint.

"_What the hell was that?!" _she thought in alarm as the shouting continued.

As if chased by a devil, she did not stop until she was standing outside one of the living room windows. Peeking inside, she saw the origin of the commotion… and was utterly dumbfounded.

Caught in the mood, Zero was holding Alouette up in the air with both hands while she struck a pose as if flying. Meanwhile, a particularly flashy scene of the over the top show they were watching continued playing on the screen, with a theme song playing in the background.

"Here it comes!" Alouette shouted excitedly. "Let's go!"

"One… two..." Zero counted.

"BECOME THE LIGHT!" they both shouted together.

When Cial had finally made the decision to see her estranged sister again, she had expected many things. Anger. Rejection. Perhaps even reconciliation. She had definitely not expected to see her watching a silly ancient animated show with three living legends and a girl small and adorable enough to pass for a third sister. She also had most definitely not expected to see one of the aforementioned living legends acting like an excitable teenage boy.

"_What… the hell?!"_ Cial thought incredulously, her eyes wide as dinner plates under the mask.

She stood there for a while longer, frozen in place.

"_The Ancient God of Destruction who brought Neo Arcadia to its knees… is a childlike goofball?"_

Maybe she was simply tired, as she was not accustomed to staying up so late anymore. Maybe it was the shock of seeing a different side of such larger than life heroes. Whatever the reason was, the former Head Administrator couldn't find the heart to interrupt, and instead just stood there watching. After an indeterminate amount of time, however, Axl quietly excused himself and stepped outside.

Spotting him, Cial cast him a withering glare from underneath the mask, but he was undeterred as he stared her down.

"I came here to laugh at you." Axl said with a deadpan expression. "Is that what you want me to say?"

Before she could retort or take a swing at him like she was tempted to, he circled around her and lightly shoved her from behind towards the door.

"Come on!" he said excitedly. "You're going to miss the best part!"

"Don't touch me." she hissed in annoyance.

Watching Axl's antics through the corner of his eye, Zero grabbed the remote control and paused the video. As Alouette gave him a quizzical look, wondering if they were being too loud, he patted her head again.

"Sorry." he said. "We'll get back to this in a bit."

Hearing the grumbling once the admittedly loud noise from the show was gone, Ciel turned her attention to the door, and as she spotted the petite figure she stood up with an unreadable expression.

"What's going on?" Alouette asked, seeing the shift in Ciel's mood.

The two petite young women stared at each other silently and the whole living room went completely quiet. Each of the twin sisters tensed up, unsure how the other would react.

"Well?" Axl asked expectantly. "You finally came all the way here and now you're just going to sand there staring? Come on."

Before Cial could retort, he scooted over and promptly removed her breathing mask, eliciting a surprised gasp from Alouette as she saw the identical face with shorter hair and a considerably less friendly expression, paler than Ciel due to lack of exposure to sunlight.

"If there were not a child in the room, I would slap you." Cial growled, glaring daggers at Axl. "I told you not to touch me!"

"_So that's why..."_ Zero pondered silently as he watched things unfold. _"The only reason a proper mother would leave her child alone so abruptly would be… if another of her children needed help."_

He'd had his suspicions that something was amiss since the first visit, but he did not know what to think of it at the time.

"Sorry, but I'm not a fan of dramatic standoffs." Axl retorted, the humor gone from his face. "Besides, this is no way for family to act. I'd know. I was forced to take down my first one."

While the events surrounding Axl's younger days with the Red Alert Syndicate were long gone, and he had managed to heal from the experience, the memories would likely stay with him for the rest of his days.

"Come on, Ice Queen." Axl insisted. "Or should I call you Head Administrator? Give it a rest already."

"_Head… Administrator?" _Zero thought, tensing up. _"Her?"_

He had heard rumors about an elusive figure in Neo Arcadia of equal or higher standing than the Guardians, but he had never expected Ciel to have a twin sister.

"Axl, why didn't you tell me?" he hissed under his breath.

"Because I didn't want you scaring the girl off." Axl whispered. "She's not as bad as she may seem, just stubborn as all hell."

"Before you ask, no, I didn't know." X whispered. "But it does explain a lot of things."

"_Why didn't you tell me, Ciel?"_ Zero thought, feeling more than a little hurt. _"No, this isn't the time to point fingers. We're all damaged goods here."_

"I..." Cial tried to say as she stared hesitantly at her twin.

"I know." Ciel interrupted, snatching her in a sudden hug. "We both messed up. Time to let go and move on."

Cial had thought that after the surprise of being reunited with her mother she had poured everything out. As her eyes betrayed her and a torrent poured out from them, she knew she had been wrong.

Zero let out a silent sigh of relief, seeing that things seemed to be on the right track, while X simply smiled softly.

Axl, seeing that his antics had been successful, stayed quiet and simply let things play out, feeling something warm in his chest.

"_See?" _he thought, getting a little misty eyed himself. _"It's simpler than you think, as long as you have the will to try."_

Zero felt a few conflicting emotions, but he knew he had to say something eventually. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he stepped forward.

"Until two minutes ago I didn't even know you existed." he said, measuring his words carefully to avoid ruining the moment. "But if I could make peace with the Four Guardians, then it would only be right to give Ciel's sister a proper welcome."

"So I've heard..." Cial said hesitantly. "I did not mean to deceive you earlier, but I had no idea how you or most people would react. X is right. Ciel is right. Neo Arcadia was an abject failure. I just want to forget all that and get on with my life."

"So where have you been all this time?" Zero asked.

"Hiding in a cave like a savage, pondering if I should give up on technology altogether." Cial said with a scowl, looking incredibly tired all of a sudden. "But despite everything that happened, I couldn't forget about my remaining family."

"_See?" _Lune thought with a smile as she watched from the open doorway. _"What did I tell you?"_

While everyone else was distracted, Axl snuck outside.

"Thank you for indulging a foolish woman." Lune said as she saw him come closer.

"Lady, you aren't even on my top twenty list of biggest fools." Axl said, smiling at her. "Life is just too short to be wasted on pointless drama, don't you think?"

"It is." Lune said with a nod.

Then her expression hardened and her eyes took on a steely, almost dangerous gleam.

"That said..." she added. "If you make any inappropriate insinuations about myself or my little girls, there may be a little more drama in your future."

Axl laughed nervously.

"I know I run my mouth sometimes but you know it's for a good cause." he said, feeling a slight chill down his spine.

"You are absolutely terrible." she said, her expression reverting to normal before flicking the tip of his nose.

"I know." Axl admitted plainly. "But sometimes the only way some people do what's best for them is if someone riles them up enough."

He then sighed.

"I meant what I said back then, by the way. About you and them being good people. I do want to see this bunch happy."

"You know, your life would probably be a bit easier if you could be a little more serious." Lune pointed out.

"Maybe." Axl conceded. "But sometimes a good laugh helps deflect life's blows. You know I wasn't always a sad clown, but I lost a few pieces of my heart along the way too."

"Didn't we all?" Lune mused.

She sighed and gave Axl a rather sad look.

"I remember another boy… almost like a smaller version of X, minus the copy's psychotic tendencies."

"What happened to him?"

"He went down in a blaze of glory to protect his classmates." Lune said. "The hole he left in those around him had consequences though… even to this day."

"I think I've heard that story before." Axl recalled. "That project that got fifty of the brightest children of Neo Arcadia together to prepare them for leadership roles, right?"

"Right. And the last real Maverick attack in recorded history. Not the bullshit that copy made up as a justification for his actions later."

Lune then sighed again.

"I don't know what he was thinking when he cooked up those explosives in the chemistry lab… or when he rushed the bastards and collapsed the entrance of the building while the others escaped through the tunnels."

"Sometimes people think there's only one way out of a situation." Axl mused. "I've seen it too often. A lot of times it ends with someone doing something rash."

"I still wonder..." Lune pondered. "If he hadn't done what he did, would we still have had a Copy X? Would that bastard Weil still have taken over? Would Ragnarok still have happened? I don't know. What I do know is that his father was never the same… and I do miss that boy myself."

"Who knows?" Axl replied with a shrug. "If not the copy, someone else might have used the energy shortage as an excuse to target Reploids. That shit has happened before. All I know is we can't change what has already happened, only look forward. Now then… are you joining us inside?"

"It's been far too long since all three of us were last together." Lune said, perking up slightly. "Besides, Alouette is so precious! She reminds me of those two when they were her size."

"I can't say I got to see them in their younger days, but Alouette is cute enough to turn people into incoherent blobs." Axl said with a smile. "If there were three of her running around, I think people might start having heart attacks."

"Yourself included?"

"Lady, look at Zero. Even a badass like him can't stay serious around her for long."

"I noticed. But you look quite good with children from what I've seen."

"Zero would probably say I never grew past that mental age." Axl scoffed. "Who knows? I see those bright eyes full of curiosity and hope…"

"Reminds you of your early days?"

"I guess it's my way of paying it forward. I probably wouldn't be here today if some people hadn't believed in me. The least I can do is make sure those kids grow up in peace."


	15. Answers

Author's Note: Thanks to the anonymous reviewer who pointed out that I had accidentally replaced chapter 14 with something from a different story. I was doing some revisions for typos and accidentally put something where it didn't belong. Still not as bad as the time I accidentally pulled an entire chapter out of sequence and only noticed it months later. Now... on with the show!

* * *

Chapter 15 – Answers

The next morning...

X was feeling restless. Too many questions still burned in his mind, and an idea took form in his mind. Zero had run off somewhere again, likely on another of his walks, and while he was eagerly awaiting the completion of his new body, what he needed was located in Ciel's home, and accessing it would mean interrupting her work.

He strode across the street, enjoying the tranquility and gazing upon the clear sky above, eventually making his way to Ciel's door. To his surprise, he found her standing outside, leaning against the wall next to the door frame, absently drinking some juice from a large glass.

"I'm surprised you're up at this hour after last night." X remarked.

He had left eventually in order to give the twin sisters some privacy to speak with each other and their mother at length, and by the look on Ciel's face and the dark circles around her eyes he deduced that they had likely stayed up all night.

"I was just about to head to bed, actually." she said. "I just have to get something in my stomach first so it won't start bothering me."

"So… how did things go?" X asked.

"I think we're on the right track." Ciel said, her smile shining through again as her eyes started getting slightly moist. "I can't remember the last time the three of us were together like this… without arguing or getting angry at each other."

"Are they still here?"

She nodded and smiled.

"Yes… and fast asleep. I still don't know if they'll be staying around or doing their own thing, but I guess I may need to draft some expansion plans for the house later. It's a good thing all the plots were drawn with some extra wiggle room."

"How are you feeling? About having the three of you back together like this?"

"Like I'm back to my younger days. So much has changed, but some things never change… or shouldn't change. It hadn't hit me how much I missed both of them until they were standing in front of me."

She then yawned loudly.

"Go to sleep then." X said with a smile. "I'll be back later. I need to talk to you about the old library."

"Definitely something I want to dig further into once I have time." she said with a nod.

"I thought so."

She then looked at him with a tired smile and slightly glazed eyes.

"And by the way… thanks." she said, sounding a little emotional.

"For what?"

"Not giving up on all of this." she said, trailing off as fatigue took its toll. "Coming back for us. Showing us the real you."

She then yawned again, louder than than the previous time.

"And now I'm going to get some sleep before I start spouting nonsense." she added, smiling again.

With that, she turned around and went back inside, stopping only to place the glass down on the kitchen counter before dragging herself to her room. Not bothering to change clothes, she got in bed and once her head touched the pillow she fell asleep in five seconds flat.

X stood outside for a moment, smiling. Seeing this particular situation resolved in such a manner brought a warm joy to his chest, even if the body he was wearing was but a crude, limited imitation. He closed the front door, which Ciel had forgotten to in her half asleep state, and then walked away, wandering aimlessly until he eventually reached a pond not far from the fields Old Andrew had been so excitedly caring for.

Without much else to do at that hour, X sat down, watching a duck that was swimming through the pond followed by a small flock of ducklings.

"_I'm glad I stuck around..." _he thought with a grateful smile.

Around late afternoon, X came around Ciel's house once again. As Lune opened the door and ushered him inside, he found the twin sisters in the middle of a discussion.

"You may be the one with a natural talent for science..." Cial pointed out. "But I'm better at organizing things. Look at you, jumping from one project to the next without pacing or proper rest."

"Maybe, but you could learn a thing or two about empathy." Ciel retorted flatly.

"I do possess it." Cial corrected rather flatly. "I only try to look at the facts without becoming emotionally entangled."

"Admittedly, it did not end very well." she added.

"I'm not going to lie..." Ciel said with a frown. "Half the time I couldn't understand what you were thinking."

"Looking back, probably the same as you." Cial retorted with a bitter look on her face. "Never again."

"Never again." Ciel echoed, figments of a familiar nightmare dancing through her mind. "Yes… No more people living in fear of the future. No more maniacs trying to take over or ruin everything. No more… children's lives wasted."

"Yes..." Cial mused. "Looking back, that was the day when everything started."

"Looking back, maybe we went too far." Ciel pondered.

"The original idea had its merits." Cial countered. "It's only a pity that the result… well..."

"The way he changed..." Ciel recalled, her expression for a moment turning as bitter as her sister's. "I barely even noticed at first. I should have seen the signs sooner."

"Looking back..." X chimed in. "I can understand why my creator took so many precautions before releasing me into the world. It's not practical to keep every single new Reploid locked in a capsule for decades, but we have to find some way to prevent that kind of insanity."

X had spent the vast majority of his existence consumed with questions about why so many of his kind tended to go Maverick and cause untold harm to others and themselves. He was painfully aware that there was no simple answer, and that he couldn't simply lay the blame for all of it on a random glitch or on the distant specter of Sigma. His discoveries regarding his and Zero's past had explained much, but there was always a spark of unpredictable randomness, much like in humans, that could steer them towards either good or evil.

"Maybe we'll never know for sure why these things happen." he added. "But for now, I'm glad I got to live long enough to see this new beginning. The children playing outside and going to school together don't care if they're organic or synthetic."

"Your optimism is remarkable..." Cial noted earnestly. "Especially considering how long you've been around and how much you've seen. I still don't know if I can think the same way, but I'm willing to try."

"I have no delusions." X said. "Once, I thought I'd be able to build a paradise on Earth if I worked hard enough. An… Elysium. But that's not something one person alone can accomplish – or impose."

"You definitely have your work cut out for you." Cial remarked. "After the things I saw your copy do – not to mention Weil and Omega – I agree that you can't impose something like that. People have to want it and band together for it. One person cannot carry the world on their shoulders."

"But there has to be some kind of order to things." she added, glancing at Ciel. "Some kind of structure."

Ciel found the presence of spirit to crack a joke.

"Not planning to take over, are you?" she teased.

"No, but something still needs to change around here." she retorted dryly. "Starting perhaps with the division of work. You can't keep up this pace forever."

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about that." X remarked. "As much as I hate the idea of being in charge again, I'm not a coward. Maybe it's time I took a more active role in things. Just… don't give me any fancy titles."

"If anything, your hesitation does you credit." Cial remarked, looking pensive for a moment. "You are yourself, and that is all you need to be… and perhaps that's why you have achieved so much. Because you question, because you hesitate. I've seen where absolute, unflinching conviction leads."

"I… did not expect that from you." X admitted, caught a little off guard by the remark, which sounded almost like praise.

"I have eyes and a brain." Cial retorted. "I know where credit is due… and I do have the presence of mind to examine what went right and what did not."

"Just how did you manage to keep a low profile for so long anyway?" X asked.

"My sister does tend to get most of the attention..." Cial said with a sigh. "Especially from the dashing legends with a penchant for missile riding."

"Low blow..." Ciel hissed, feeling a slight rush of heat to her cheeks.

"That said..." Cial continued, not to show her amusement at her sister's reaction too obvious. "Ciel isn't the only one who admired your work. Having the real X back instead of the fake or the Head Administrator is already making a considerable difference. You have always known how to motivate people by example and presence, even if you did not realize it."

"Don't you think you may be giving me a little too much credit?" X asked.

"No. I've always had to get things done through hard work and willpower… because I don't have your kind of presence." Cial insisted. "My sister… is better with words and at connecting with people."

"Is that a smile I see on your face, Sis?" Ciel asked.

"She used to smile a lot more when you two were younger." Lune remarked. "In fact, I think I should go dig up those old pictures later."

X's gaze alternated between the two and their mother. Though they had spent some time estranged from each other, there were definitely some similarities beyond the physical appearance. He had already become aware of Ciel's struggles to overcome the past, and sympathized with her, but seeing the three together in the same place he understood that each of them was coping in their own way. The petite scientist, burying herself in work. The former Head Administrator trying to make amends much like the Guardians. The mother, also a scientist, trying to keep her remaining family together.

"You know..." he mused, feeling his old excitement for the future returning to the forefront. "I have a good feeling about all of this."

"Meaning?" Lune asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I think you two couldn't have returned at a better time." X explained with a smile. "Right now, the world is a bit like the ground after a wildfire. If we do this right… we'll have flowers blooming amidst the rubble of our failures."

"You are mixing metaphors a bit, I think." Cial remarked. "But I get your meaning. This settlement will become a new metropolis one day, mark my words. People are repopulating, rebuilding, expanding… and I'm eager to put my talents to use on a project that actually has a future."

"Right now, from what I've seen, people are building their new homes with refurbished metal and learning how to live off the land once again." Lune said. "Basic plumbing is already laid out and thanks to a certain someone the energy crisis is a memory."

She paused for a moment, running some calculations in her mind, and then her face lit up in a smile, extremely similar to Ciel's.

"Given another year or two, this place can become self-sufficient in terms of food. In less than three years, I predict we'll have some proper roads in the boundaries of the settlement… if we keep this up."

"Natural progression." X said, remembering his days assisting with the planning of what eventually had become Neo Arcadia. "The indispensable, the essential and then everything else. As long as people here don't lose their motivation, I do believe we'll have a new city before these two reach adulthood."

"Your estimates are a little optimistic, but possible to meet..." Cial remarked.

"But!" she added, staring at X. "Since our mother managed to talk me into coming back though, I'll do what I can from my side, discreetly… and I'll be the first in line to call you out if I think you're being unreasonable."

"I do appreciate that." Ciel said, feeling the burden on her shoulders already lightening. She knew that her sister was not ready to be completely open about her feelings, and that this was her way of showing that she cared.

"Just… don't expect me to be a public figure." Cial added. "Not everyone is as forgiving as you lot, and I will not be responsible for damaging your image by association."

"Don't be ridiculous." Ciel scolded.

"I second that!" Axl chimed in, peeking through an open window. "Hiding a face like yours should be a crime!"

"It looks like the circus is back in town..." Cial grumbled, her composure slipping again.

"Hey, if it's stupid but it works..." Axl retorted.

"Just how long have you known about my sister anyway?" Ciel asked, realizing that he had never shown the faintest hint of surprise at her presence.

"Don't forget, I lived in Neo Arcadia for a time too." Axl pointed out. "Different face and different name, so you wouldn't have recognized me on the street."

"Why the cloak and dagger act anyway?" Ciel asked.

"I wanted to see what kind of world my buddies' hard work and sacrifices would create… without having people treat me differently just because of who I am." Axl explained before his expression soured. "In the end, I didn't care for the result."

"So why didn't you come out in the open?" X asked. "Stepped in as the hero of the age? I thought you always wanted a shot at proving yourself."

"When I was younger and dumber, maybe." Axl countered. "But… it just wasn't the same without you guys and I had my own issues to deal with. So I did the next best thing and helped the Resistance get on its feet."

"Your shapeshifting abilities?" Cial asked, her annoyance momentarily giving way to curiosity.

"Among other things." Axl bragged before finally going around the house and stepping inside as well.

"There's a lot more to me than my devilish good looks and wits, believe it or not." he added as he stood in front of Cial and flashed a grin worthy of a toothpaste ad from the old days.

"If you say so." Cial retorted, rather unimpressed.

"Tell me one thing though." Ciel said, staring at Axl intently, finally voicing a suspicion she had harbored since first truly knowing him. "The information that led us to the lab where Zero was. Did you have something to do with getting that to us?"

"Maybe..." Axl replied with a conspiratorial wink.

"Anyway..." X chimed in, remembering the original purpose of his visit. "I was thinking about heading to the old Resistance base to have a look at the library material myself. I'll just need to consult the catalog first. Do you…?"

"Yes, I have the computers here." Ciel confirmed with a nod. "Can you believe the internal clock batteries still had power after all this time?"

"The model looked familiar." X said. "If it's the same we used to have at the old Hunter HQ, I can definitely believe it."

Ciel led him to another room, seemingly repurposed as a small workshop, where she had hooked up the ancient equipment to more modern monitors.

"I still need to take another look at the original monitors but these are easier on the eyes anyway." she remarked as she turned on one of the computers.

X glanced at the vintage keyboard set on the desk next to the central unit and silently lamented the limited sensory capabilities of his limited body. He did, however, still find the sound of the keys under his fingertips rather soothing in its familiarity.

"Maybe I'm just a relic appreciating another relic..." X remarked with a smile. "But this old stuff has a charm of its own."

For a few minutes he tried to search for specific keywords in the titles and subjects, searching for anything that might help him gain a better understanding of his power. The vast majority sounded far too vague or esoteric to be of particular use, but he still memorized the titles in hopes that they would provide good recreational reading material later.

"Well… I'm not sure if any of this stuff is actually going to help, but I think I'll head to the base anyway and look around."

"In that case, I'm going with you." Ciel said. "I want to take a look at the history books… so I can understand how things went wrong in the past and try to keep it from happening again."

"But before we go..." she added. "Can you show it to me up close? That… light of yours?"

"Fair enough." X said with a nod, before the strange white radiance blossomed in his right hand.

"How does it feel?" Ciel asked, staring with clear interest as her training as a scientist clashed with the childlike awe at something she could not explain.

"It's difficult to describe, considering the limitations of this body." X said. "But it feels… soothing. You know that feeling you get at the end of the day when you've just finished eating a plate of honeyed pancakes and are just lounging on a couch, with nothing to do and no obligations for the next day?"

"That's… strangely specific." Ciel noted.

"I guess they left some things out of the legend." X said with a mischievous smile. "Even in the middle of the constant fighting, the turmoil and everything else… I still kept my love for the world and many of the small joys."

"Next you're going to tell me you know how to cook." she joked.

"As a matter of fact..."

"Really?" she asked, unsure if he was joking.

"There's a reason why I have hands and not just Busters. I wasn't meant to be a fighter." X reminded her. "I was meant to become whatever I wished to… and my maker hoped the world would let me choose a peaceful path."

"Yes…" she mused. "I can see that… and the hands are some of the most difficult parts to get right when building humanoid robots… just like the eyes."

She hesitantly touched his glowing hand and soon felt a comforting warmth coursing through it, then through her arm and reaching into her chest.

"Your description actually makes sense now..." she realized. "But it's more than that. It's that feeling… that everything will be all right in the end."

X nodded, a serene smile appearing on his face.

"Yes… Exactly. All will be well. I still don't know if this light comes from me or from somewhere else, but it helped me keep my sense of self even after losing my body."

"Anyway..." Ciel said, withdrawing her hand before Axl or someone else walked in and decided to crack a joke at their expense. "We should probably get going. The Trans Server terminal isn't far from here but this could take a while."

Another mystery had presented itself to her in the form of X's strange radiance, and she silently decided to unravel it.

The two stepped back into the living room.

"We'll be back later." X said.

"Say hi to Rouge and Jaune for me." Axl remarked, with another of his grins.

"Do let me know if you find something interesting." Cial said, ignoring Axl, and her sister nodded in response.

Axl waited until the two had stepped out of earshot, then plopped down on the couch and glanced at Cial.

"Can I interest you in some hot-blooded robot action?" he asked with a grin.

She glared daggers at him, not bothering to dignify him with a verbal answer, and then, to her surprise, he grabbed the remote control and another of the old shows Ciel and the others had made a habit of watching together in the evening started playing on the screen.

"What did you think I was talking about?" he asked with a smirk.

Realizing that she'd taken his bait again, she planted the palm of her hand on her forehead and sighed, looking like she was on the verge of a migraine.

"Fine..." she grumbled. "I suppose I could use a distraction. That kind of ridiculousness should do."

"You really like seeing how far you can push your luck, don't you?" Lune remarked with a smirk.

"Don't worry Lady." he replied, his tone and expression betraying a sincere fondness. "I'd rather tangle with Sigma and Omega at the same time than offend you. That said, your girl really needs a good laugh. She's too tense."

"Well, you two had better stop it." Lune warned with a brief flash of steel in her eyes. "I won't have you bickering like children."

"Fine, Mom..." Axl grumbled, in a perfect imitation of a six-year old boy being told to clean his room.

Cial rolled her eyes and then suddenly touched her forehead again, looking visibly uncomfortable. Axl cast her a quizzical look, and for a brief moment he looked genuinely concerned.

"I don't expect an eternal brat like you to understand." she grumbled, noticing his gaze. "My mind… is restless."

With that, she sat down on the couch, keeping a good distance from Axl.

"Better than you think, Ice Queen." he retorted, before letting out a sigh of his own.

"You know what?" Lune added, before sitting on the couch as well. "Might as well."

She then looked at her daughter, edged closer and pulled her into a hug. Noticing that Cial visibly relaxed in response, Axl chose to stay quiet.

"_Guess your method works better than mine when it comes to her, Lady."_ he thought with a smile._ "But I meant what I said. That girl's gonna get white hair before she hits twenty at this rate." _

With that, he reached for the remote again and picked one of his old favorite shows, then set it to play from the beginning.

* * *

Five minutes later...

"_Why is that guy fighting in spandex?" _Cial thought a little confused. _"Why does the camera keep fixating on his ass?_

To her annoyance, she found herself unable to look away.

Next to her, Lune simply watched, with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

Axl simply grinned.

* * *

Ten minutes later...

"_Why is he shouting all that nonsense about love, anger and sorrow?"_ Cial thought, leering at the screen. _"Why does she keep putting up with his crap anyway?" _

Despite her silent protestations, she was following every second of it.

Next to her, Lune seemed to be getting into the show.

Axl looked fired up.

* * *

A few hours later...

"_WHY IS THAT HORSE PILOTING A ROBOT HORSE?!"_ Cial thought, utterly confused, with her eyes wide as dinner plates._ "HOW DOES THAT EVEN WORK?!"_

At this point, her mind gave up on trying to find any logic in it whatsoever.

Next to her, Lune was fighting back laughter at the absurdity of the scene.

Axl looked like he had just gobbled down an entire crate of candy.

* * *

Another few hours later…

"_Oh…"_ Cial thought, her expression noticeably softer. _"I guess... they really do..."_

Even her mood softened before she realized it.

Next to her, Lune looked touched by the scene.

Axl smiled like an idiot and discreetly wiped something off his eye.

* * *

As the final episode's end credits rolled...

"I have… so many questions..." Cial muttered, looking a little dizzy.

"That was… interesting." Lune said. "What else do you have lying around?"

"I think that's quite enough for today, Mother!" Cial protested.

"Oh, come on!" Axl pouted. "Don't be like that. I know you liked it… especially that part near the end."

"Quiet, you." Cial retorted, bonking him on the head.

"_As if I'd ever admit that to an idiot like you..."_

* * *

Meanwhile, at the old Resistance base...

"Well..." Ciel noted, taking her head out of one of the crates. "We may not have found what you were looking for, but this..."

"Yes..." X nodded in agreement. "This will definitely keep us busy for a while."

"I think I know what I want to do once we get you and Phantom new bodies." Ciel said with a determined look on her face. "Neo Arcadia was a failure, but with all of this… we can start building a new Alexandria."

"Knowledge is going to be another weapon in the fight for the future." X said with a nod. "Too much has been lost and forgotten already. I just wonder if you'll be able to keep yourself out of the lab long enough to sort through all of this."

"With my mother and sister around… there's a very good chance of that."

The beaming smile on her face did not escape his notice. He understood perfectly that to someone such as her, such a trove was a treat sweeter than anything even the most accomplished chefs of the old world could produce. In the face of such a vast and diverse collection, X found himself fighting the temptation to extend their stay and just lounge about going through everything at his leisure.

"You know what?" he remarked. "When it's time to come get all of this in order… I think I might join you."

"Incidentally, did you notice?" Ciel asked. "The strange script on some of these crates?"

"I don't recognize the language." X said with a nod. "They definitely look like they've seen their share of use. Where do you suppose these came from anyway?"

"There's definitely more to those visitors than meets the eye." Ciel noted. "Another mystery I'll have to dedicate some time to later."

X turned his attention to another set of crates, opening them one by one and taking a cursory glance at the contents.

"Wait a minute..." he said with a surprised look on his face as he read the labels on the data discs.

"Is something wrong?" Ciel asked, glancing at him.

"Why didn't I think of this sooner?" he chided himself.

"Huh?"

"Library, Ciel." he pointed out. "You know what else some libraries collected back in the day?"

"Periodicals." he clarified, holding up a disc casing. "Newspapers, magazines, the chronicles of daily life."

As she saw the label, her eyes lit up in recognition of the year range printed on it.

"Oh… Oh!"

X hurried out of the storage room and headed back to Ciel's old quarters, where she had left some of the computers and basic equipment, ready to use in case they were needed again. The petite scientist followed close behind.

As the computer booted up, X cast another look at the disc case in his hand, looking almost hesitant for a moment… or perhaps simply anxious. As the computer finished booting up, he inserted the disc and started going through the contents. After less than a minute, he found himself staring at one particular article.

"This would have been worth the trip on its own..." he said, looking like he might be about to get misty eyed if his temporary body were capable of such.

On the screen was a centuries old news article about another episode conflict long forgotten by most… and the heroes of that age. In the middle of the text was an old color picture, showing a boy with a striking resemblance to X, wearing rather plain blue clothing. Even if he had not read the article itself, X would probably have instinctively recognized them. The brother and sister he'd never known in person.

"The eyes..." Ciel remarked as she edged closer to take a better look. "The look on his face. There's no doubt about it."

Next to the boy was a girl in a red dress and matching shoes, with the same sort of soft face and golden hair tied with a green ribbon. Her eyes were much like the boy's.

"I guess maybe this is one of the reasons why you and I get along so well." X quipped with a smile as he turned his gaze between the girl on the picture and Ciel.

A fleeting thought crossed her mind, and for a brief moment she couldn't help thinking of Alouette… and a particular boy clad in blue that she still was still trying to forget.

"_If he hadn't turned out that way… could they have ended up like this?"_

She surprised herself with such a random thought, and quickly shook her head, trying to push it out of her mind along with the sudden pang of regret.

"I'd like to think we're doing more than just repeating the steps of those who came before." she finally replied after a moment. "But that's high praise coming from you."

"Are you..." X tried to ask, noticing the shift in her facial expression.

"Yes." she said rather bluntly. "Let's leave it at that for now."

The two examined the image further and X felt yet another surge of emotion as he recognized the third person in the picture.

Standing behind the other two, with his large hands on their shoulders and a beaming smile X had never seen him wear in life, was another figure from his past, broad-shouldered, tall, with blue eyes very similar to those of his creations, graying hair and a majestic beard. A figure fitting to be crawling down chimneys once a year to deliver gifts, but instead clad in the classic garments of a scientist – a white labcoat, a white shirt and tie, completely plain trousers and shoes.

"Ah. Ciel said with no small amount of admiration. My distant predecessor."

Next to her, X looked like he was about to fully lose his composure, overwhelmed by the glimpse into a life he had never had the chance to know. She noticed this and did the only thing she could.

"There there..." she whispered, patting his shoulder. "I'm sure wherever they are, they're all proud of you."

"I hope you're right..." he said, with his voice cracking from sheer emotion.

Several hours later, after X had finally calmed down and the two had kept going through more of the contents of the old library, they ended up deciding to spend the night at the old base.

"_It's strange to be back here like this..." _Ciel thought as she slowly drifted into sleep in her old bed. _"So much has changed..."_

In Cerveau's old workshop, after making sure that Ciel had gone to bed instead of continuing her reading binge in the storage room, X tried to clear his mind of the countless thoughts swirling through it – even if for just a moment.

* * *

The next morning, before leaving, Ciel also took some time to check up on the general state of things and catch up with some friends and colleagues who had stayed at the base.

As they finally stepped through the Trans Server network and out of the reinforced metal shed housing the local terminal and made their way back to her house, a specific thought crossed X's mind.

"Don't forget, the next council meeting is in two days." he reminded her.

"Yes, and if I know my sister, she'll want to at least watch."

They kept walking for a few more minutes until they finally arrived.

"There you are." Lune said in a manner of greeting as Ciel opened the door to her house. "Don't you think you're a little too young to pull all nighters?"

"Don't worry, she got plenty of rest." X reassured her.

"With a chaperone like you, I'll believe it. So, did you find anything interesting?"

"Yes." Ciel confirmed with a nod. "But where's my sister?"

"Well, I may have mentioned the council's meeting schedule to her..." Lune said, looking a little sheepish.

Ciel stepped into the living room to find her sister going through a pile of reports and logs from the previous meetings.

"Get me as much concrete data as you can." Cial said in an eager, almost hungry tone, turning her gaze away from the documents for the briefest moment. "Stockpiles, population, everything. I'll show you what I can do."

Ciel smiled, recognizing the intensity in her eyes – just like hers when she stumbled into something new in the laboratory.

* * *

A few more days passed, until one late evening...

"Guys! You gotta come see this!" Axl shouted as he barged into the shack X and Zero had taken to sharing.

"What's going on?" Zero asked, still half conscious after being awakened so abruptly.

"I don't know." Axl said, looking serious for once. "Something's… falling from the sky. Come on!"

In hasty steps, Axl led the two to the watchtower where Ciel had taken to stargazing. However, on that particular night, something else was lighting up the sky.

"Oh. There you are." Ciel said, glancing over her shoulder before pointing at something in the sky above. "Look."

A streak of white, brighter than any comet or meteor they had ever seen, was hurtling towards the Earth, leaving a fleeting trail of white light in its wake.

"What the hell is that?!" Zero muttered. "Don't tell me it's another doomsday weapon we didn't know about."

"I don't know." Ciel said. "I've been trying to take a better look, but the light is too bright. I can't see any details."

"How big is that thing?" X asked, as old memories of the Eurasia debacle rushed to the forefront of his consciousness. "How long do we have?"

"Smaller than it looks at first sight." Ciel said. "It should touch down in a few hours, but far enough from here not to hit anyone or anything important. Still..."

"As soon as it hits the ground, I'm heading there." X said. "We cannot take any chances."

* * *

Four hours later, as the sun began to rise, X, Zero, Axl and Ciel sped towards the crash site on two hoverbikes, driving as swiftly as they dared without risking an accident. After a little over an hour, they saw the object's unmistakable white light over the horizon and knew they were getting closer. Then, another two hours later, in a rocky, uninhabited region, they found themselves standing in front of a crater.

"This little thing put up that whole show?!" Axl asked incredulously as he stared at an object in the center of the crater, barely bigger than his fist.

"Just… what is this?" Ciel wondered, looking at what appeared to be an elongated chunk of some sort of shiny crystalline substance.

"Don't get any closer." X warned. "We have no idea what this is. It could be radioactive, or still superheated from the crash. I'll go take a look."

"Don't do anything too crazy." Zero cautioned.

As X jumped into the crater, he felt a strangely familiar sensation. He paused for a moment to observe the object… and it was then that he felt it. A welcoming warmth, as if the strange artifact were inviting him, beckoning him closer. He took a few more steps and suddenly the chunk of crystal started glowing with a pure white light identical to his own… which then flared on his chest in response.

"X!" Ciel called out in alarm.

"It's OK." X said reassuringly. "I'm fine. But this thing…"

He hesitantly reached forward, knowing that while his temporary body's sensory range was limited, there was still a very good chance the heat of a freshly fallen meteorite might at the very least singe it. Instead, to his surprise, he felt no ill effects. In fact, he realized, he felt a strange lightness in his chest, as if he had momentarily returned to his original body. Then, as he fully grasped the object, testing its weight, he realized it was light enough for him to lift with one hand. As he did so, however, removing it from the earth, something else happened.

"At last..." a gentle voice said, seemingly out of nowhere, speaking directly into his mind. "After an eternity traversing the Void, a spark has been found. Stand and be acknowledged… Warrior of Light."

* * *

X suddenly found himself standing in what looked like outer space, surrounded by larger chunks of the same substance.

"_What…?"_ he thought, briefly disoriented.

Then he realized that he was not alone. Standing, or rather hovering in place, at what looked like the point around which the chunks of crystal were orbiting, was what appeared to be a handsome young man, somewhere his his twenties or thirties, with a soft face, ruffled brown hair and a pair of striking blue eyes, smiling at him.

The figure before him was wearing strange garments resembling a suit of armor straight out of ancient times, fashioned from a white metal inlaid with what looked like silver or platinum. In fact, X realized, there was something about the suit's material that reminded him of the armor worn by the masked stranger he had met not too long before, the main differences being that this apparition was openly showing his face and his outfit sported a more archaic design.

X silently struggled to process all of this, wondering if he was having some sort of elaborate hallucination… and if a synthetic being was even capable of such.

"Warrior… of Light?" X repeated, finding the name strangely fitting.

Then the vision abruptly faded and he found himself back at the crater, with the strange object still firmly in his grasp.

* * *

"You back with us now?" Zero asked.

"What… just happened?" X muttered.

"We were hoping you'd be able to tell us." Ciel said. "You were just standing there, staring into who knows where."

"_D__id I imagine all of that?__" _X thought with a haunted look on his face. _"__No, it can't be."_

As he lifted the crystalline object in his hand, he found only silence, and an enigmatic glimmer as the light of the sun reflected on its facets.

"Well now..." a woman's voice chimed in.

X, Zero and Ciel turned and recognized the statuesque woman and the man covered in the strange suit of armor.

"I thought it was going to rain." she said, looking at them with an enigmatic smile.

"Looks more like hail to me." the man remarked.

"What are you two doing here?" Zero asked, a little suspicious of their sudden re-appearance at a time like that.

"We thought to check up on your progress." the man said, sounding genuinely happy to see them again. "Is this a bad time?"

"Actually..." X said. "Maybe you came exactly at the right time."

He stared at the two and held the crystalline object clearly in view.

"Since you have this power too, answer me this. Have you ever heard of these… Warriors of Light?"

"Well now..." the woman said, looking a little surprised.

"We were hesitant to disrupt your tranquility by sharing certain knowledge..." the man mused, sounding rather conflicted. "But it looks like it's not in our hands anymore."

"What's this about?" Zero asked. "Warriors of Light?"

Ciel watched the exchange, taking in every word and trying to process the whole situation. The woman took notice of this and turned her gaze to her.

"I know that look." the woman said, still smiling. "I've seen it many times on a certain someone's face."

"To answer your question, yes." she added, turning to X. "We've heard of them. In fact, some might consider us among them."

For a brief moment, her entire body lit up with the same white light, though it felt different somehow, in a way they couldn't put into words. Her entire presence seemed to change during that moment, radiating a soothing warmth that transcended their physical senses, but also a strength comparable to their own.

"You do realize it'll take more than your word and a light show to get us to believe you, right?" Zero asked rather bluntly.

"You were never in any danger from us, silly." the woman said as she returned to normal. "My partner here is just not that good with people, but it looks like he's taken a liking to you all… as have I."

"But wait..." X realized. "How? Before you came along, I thought I was the only one like this. I'd never even heard of these Warriors of Light before this morning..."

"Oh, we know exactly what you have there." the man said, sounding delighted and a little amused. "A Radiant Shard. Priceless, to be sure, but not as rare as you may think."

"And how exactly do you know that?" Zero asked, still feeling that something was off.

The two outsiders exchanged glances and then turned back to them.

"Well… You see..." the man sad, before raising his right hand and snapping his fingers.

In a flash of white, their surroundings shifted, and they found themselves in what looked like some sort of observation deck, in a chamber fashioned from white metal not unlike that of the outsider's armor. In front of them stood a large window made of some sort of tempered glass, but it was the sight on the other side that caught Ciel's eyes. An endless blackness, dotted by countless lights… and below, a familiar sight, which she had beheld once before. Earth.

"We're not exactly from around here." the man finished.


	16. A Glimpse Beyond

Chapter 16 – A Glimpse Beyond

"So… what exactly is this place?" Ciel asked, glancing around the white metal walls and floor. "I don't recognize the material."

"The vessel that carries us across the stars." the woman explained. "Built with our own hands on a faraway place."

"I don't understand." X said. "Both of you seem human enough… and so did the… person I saw when I touched this thing. What did you call it? Radiant Shard?"

"Yes, a Radiant Shard." the woman confirmed with a nod. "As you may have deduced by now, it was created using the same power that flows through all of us."

"As for the matter of our appearance, yes." the masked man added. "While I am not prepared to show you or anyone else my face right now, you can be sure that there is a human underneath all this plating."

"Why not?" Ciel asked, a little perplexed.

"It's… complicated." the man said, his posture betraying some discomfort.

The masked man quickly steered the conversation to another topic.

"You are a scientist, though, and I would expect you to have a greater grasp of this world's history than us. From what we understand, the people here never made it beyond the solar system due to all the turmoil on the surface. What does that leave?"

"Parallel evolution?" Ciel guessed, before glancing at the woman. "Still… the similarity is too great to be a coincidence. Which means…"

"Multiverse theory?" X chimed in. "I mean, it's nothing new. People have been debating it for centuries."

"The son of a scientist through and through..." the woman remarked with a smile.

"I never got to meet my father in person." X said. "Only holograms and recently an old picture. Still, I like the idea of following in his footsteps one day, when things are a little more structured."

"That's something I'd like to see." Zero remarked. "If anyone deserves a peaceful life it's you."

He then turned to the two elusive strangers.

"I don't really care if you're from this world, or universe or whatever, as long as you're not here to cause trouble. That said, something about this whole thing rubs me the wrong way."

"I suppose our timing could be considered a little suspicious." the woman said.

"But we are not omniscient." the man added, crossing his arms. "We were not specifically looking for you the first time around. As for this second visit, I had been thinking about it for a while."

"I suppose I'll have to take your word for that..." Zero said cautiously.

"But… that chunk of glowing rock..." Axl added. "Is it gonna bring us more headaches?"

"I will admit that this can be taken as an omen." the masked man said with a hint of amusement. "A light from the sky, an artifact from another world and an apparition hailing someone as a special sort of person. But no, the Radiant Shards are harmless."

"Long ago, a tradition was established." the woman added. "Seasoned Warriors of Light who had reached a landmark event or were on the verge of retiring or shedding their mortal shells began to create these Shards, formed of crystallized light and imbued with their memories and experiences."

"They cast these Shards into the Void..." the man continued. "Where they seek new worlds, new sparks, new Warriors of Light that may continue to protect all of existence."

"That all sounds rather fantastical." Ciel finally mused after staying silent for a while. "But it doesn't answer one fundamental question."

"What exactly is a Warrior of Light?" X asked.

"In essence… someone who gives of themselves for the sake of others." the woman said.

"Someone in tune with life, who knows its value and is willing to fight in order to protect it." the man added.

"Someone who ignites their inner radiance in order to achieve what others may think impossible." the woman continued.

"That does sound like someone we know..." Axl remarked, grinning as he glanced at X. "Especially when his hand starts glowing. His pose still needs work though."

"It does." Ciel agreed. "A gentle soul, forced by circumstance to fight. A champion, despite how he tends to doubt himself."

"Most Warriors of Light at one point or another think themselves unworthy." the woman said. "Many think they are not Warriors of Light or don't even know what they are until later."

"But they press on, taking whatever their path throws at them." the man added. "Because they don't know any other way to live – and usually don't want to know."

"So this light..." X mused. "Those things you said before, about love and courage, about the true self..."

"It was not something given to you." the man said with a nod. "It is part of what you are. Most living beings have the potential but very few actively manifest it."

"Others do not even realize this." the woman added. "They turn it inward, never knowing they had it at all."

"The Light is a reminder that you are not truly alone." the man said. "It steadies the mind, strengthens the hand and, as you have already seen before, it allows feats that can be considered miracles."

"Is it something that can be taught?" Ciel asked, her curiosity stoked once again.

"In time." the woman said. "But it usually grows in response to a challenge. The call of adventure, a quest, a crisis. That is normally how these things start."

"You know, this sounds a little familiar." Axl said with his usual grin. "Are we going to have to fight weird monsters and light up four colored lightbulbs?"

"Or possibly a purple octopus." the woman said, earning a confused stare from Ciel. "There are far stranger things out there though."

"Do you truly want to know just how deep the rabbit hole goes?" the man asked with a scoff.

"Try me, space man." Axl retorted with a grin.

"One man's reality is another man's fiction." the man said. "What if I told you that in other-"

"Don't you think you're taking the plot dump a bit too far this early on?" a boy's voice suddenly interrupted out of nowhere.

"Who said that?" Zero asked, glancing around.

Then everyone noticed that someone else had joined them – a small boy, seemingly as young as Alouette's classmates, wearing a striped blue and yellow t-shirt, blue shorts, red running shoes, white socks and a red baseball cap with a blue tip, staring back at them with hazel eyes full of life and a warm smile on his face.

"You've gotta pace yourself." the boy added. "You're just going to confuse them."

"And you are?" Zero asked.

"Before you ask, no, he's not ours..." the man in the mask said, his tone and the discomfort suddenly betrayed by his body language earning a muffled chuckle from his companion. "Where did you come from, boy?"

"That's not important right now." the boy retorted with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "What's important is that you don't confuse the poor guys by complicating things too much this early."

With that, he stepped closer.

"Nice to meet you, X, Zero, Axl." the boy added, glancing at them. "And Dr. Ciel, of course. I've been meaning to visit you for a long time."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" X asked. "If you're not with these two, then..."

"They're not the only ones keeping an eye on you." the boy said. "You've got so many hopes and dreams riding on your shoulders, and you've managed to do so much without even knowing how to use this power..."

"Oh, another one." Zero remarked.

"That Shard will be a good teacher." the boy said, eyeing the crystal in X's hand. "Usul, if I'm not mistaken. His antics barely fit in fourteen humongous books."

"Usul?" X asked.

"That's his name." the boy said with a nod. "Usul Omnis. I'm sure he'll be glad to know his Shard found someone like you."

"You sound like you've met him." the masked man remarked.

"I suppose all of us end up crossing paths sooner or later." the boy said with a shrug.

"But for now… I'll teach you a simple trick." the boy added before glancing over his shoulder at the masked man. "Get over here, Caged Light. You should hear this too."

"_Caged Light?"_ X thought, quirking an eyebrow.

"If you know that name, then you should know I don't much care for it." the man in the mask replied with an annoyed tone.

"Maybe because it fits?" the boy retorted. "It's a cage of your own making, you know. If you don't like it, then break out."

"_Huh?"_ Ciel silently wondered. _"__What are they talking about?"_

"OK…?" X muttered, still not sure what to think.

With a sigh, the masked man stepped closer. Once he was sure he had their attention, the boy continued.

"Take a melody." he said. "Simple as can be. Give it some words and sweet harm-"

The boy was interrupted as a massive object came hurtling through space towards the window, before abruptly braking just short of it. As it came to a stop, the shape of some sort of white craft became apparent, almost like a plane shaped like a shiny metal bird.

"Hey!" a teenage boy's voice called out through what sounded like the vessel's communication systems. "It's you! Sorry, but can you tell me how to get to La Gias again?"

"You again..." the masked man said. "Wait a minute… Did you spend all this time just flying in circles or something?"

The boy standing with them let out a hearty laugh.

"Same old Masaki..." he said, shaking his head.

In a quickened pace, he stepped closer to the window.

"I'll take care of this. Caged Light, could you get them back home before people start looking for them?"

"I thought I'd made clear I don't want to be called that." the masked man said with a hint of annoyance.

"Then come up with something better." the boy retorted.

"By the way..." he added, looking over his shoulder. "X. Say hi to Rock and Roll for me when you find them."

"How do you-" X tried to ask, caught by surprise.

"Oh, they're old pals of mine." the boy said, a hint of mischief seeping into his smile. "They've been asleep for too long and I can't sense them, but if anyone can find them it's you."

"You mean..." X said with a haunted look on his face.

"They're still out there somewhere, yes." the boy confirmed with a nod. "There are things even time can't change. And now to get this guy where he needs to be."

"Wait..." X said. "If you know about them, then what about Alia?"

"I've never met her in person so I don't know what her presence feels like." the boy said with a frown, before his expression brightened up again. "But if she's anything like you, then… don't give up."

With that, the boy started glowing with the same white light… and then disappeared in a flash, reappearing outside the window next to the newcomer's craft.

"How is he doing that?" Ciel asked, her eyes widening.

Moments later, both the boy and the strange craft seemed to surge forward, disappearing in a flash.

"And that?" she added.

"Radiant Translocation." the masked man said. "That machine also has some sort of trans-dimensional drive. I'm sure of it."

"Is that how you did that thing at the library?" X asked.

"We have our own translocation system." the man elaborated. "While we are capable of doing that without the aid of machinery as well, we try not to overuse the ability."

"Why is that?" Ciel asked.

"Dimensional mechanics can be… a bit of a crapshoot." the man said. "I first traveled between universes on my own power when I was… five years old, I think. Machines are more reliable, don't rely on mental focus and don't drain the user's strength. So yes, we travel with our own drive most of the time, and if we need to transport guests or items, we have another system for that."

"So… what exactly do you do across all those infinite infinities?" Ciel asked.

"Wander, explore, seek new worlds and bring the light to where it's needed." the woman said.

"To boldly go, where no man has gone before!" Axl chimed in with a grin.

"Something like that." the man said, slightly amused.

"A paladin's duty is never done." the masked man added. "Not to mention my search for truth."

"Truth?" X asked.

"The truth of my existence." the man elaborated. "Its purpose. I have no attachment to my point of origin, but… somewhere out there… there must be a place where I belong."

"With abilities like those and the obvious technological advantage, you could probably find a place almost anywhere." X pointed out.

"I suppose." the man conceded. "But this restlessness, this wanderlust… those will not abate."

"More recently, though..." the woman added. "We've been taking care of something else."

"Something else?" X asked.

"Tell me." the man said. "Have you ever heard the name Ozar Midrashim?"

"Can't say I have." X replied.

"It is a tome, a repository of knowledge far beyond what its apparent size would suggest." the woman explained. "Only one copy of it exists."

"A very long time ago..." the man added. "Three treacherous thieves attempted to steal it from its author. They failed, but several pages were torn off and scattered across the multiverse. The knowledge inside is far too dangerous for even a single page to be left unaccounted for."

"Fortunately, one needs to understand the language before they can do anything with that knowledge." the woman said. "But given enough time and resources… Either way, the author left his mark on all of the pages as a precaution. Branded them with the Light."

"We have to be within a certain range to sense those marks." the man added. "But their signature is very distinctive and leaves a lingering trace. Someone from your Earth may have once been in possession of one of the pages."

"Is that why you came here the first time?" Ciel asked, intrigued by the tale.

"Yes, but it looks like the author of the book already reclaimed that one and... forgot to tell us about it." the man said.

* * *

Meanwhile, at a faraway place…

In an impossibly beautiful garden, with the earth blanketed in grass of a vibrant green and filled with all manner of flowers and shrubs, some mundane in appearance and others completely outlandish, a hooded figure stood, dressed completely in white, carefully holding a diminutive shape in its gloved hands.

"It was… interesting to have you around." it said with a male voice. "Are you sure you can make it back on your own though?"

"Don't worry about it." a squeaky, high-pitched voice replied. "Thanks again for the save, by the way. Are you sure… you don't want to come back and meet the others?"

"Sorry, little one." the hooded figure said, its tone betraying a hint of sadness. "My path leads elsewhere."

"Well, if you ever change your mind…"

"I know, I know." the hooded figure said, before carefully caressing the tiny figure's head with a single finger. "Now go on. You have people waiting for you."

With that, the hooded figure lifted its hands to the sky and a tiny figure wrapped in blue light took off from them.

"I'm going to miss you, little one..." the hooded figure said, watching it go. "Take good care of yourself… and the twins."

The hooded figure let out a loud sigh and white light surged outward behind its back, coalescing into the form of white feathered wings.

"I cannot go back." it muttered sadly.

"Not even to see your father?" another male voice intervened from behind.

"My thoughtless actions already broke his heart once." the hooded figure retorted, shaking its head. "I am only able to remain myself because of what you did. If I were to appear before him now… I fear the shock would usher him into your domain before his time."

* * *

Back to the surface, X, Zero, Ciel and Axl grabbed the hoverbikes and returned to the settlement just in time to catch the start of another of the periodic meetings.

"You are late." Cial said in a scolding tone as she stood in front of the large shed that would host this particular meting, once again clad in the cloak and breathing mask she had first worn as a disguise upon her return.

"What's that?" Lune asked, glancing at the Radiant Shard in X's hand.

"The thing that lit up the sky last night." Zero explained. "Surprisingly small for all the ruckus it made, isn't it?"

"I'll explain it later." X said. "For now, could you put this away somewhere so people won't start asking too many questions?"

"Here." Cial said, producing a worn leather pouch from underneath her cloak.

As X handed over the Shard, and Cial's hand touched it, she felt a strange sensation coursing through her arm and then in her chest, which somehow reminded her of the warmth she had once thought lost… and recently regained.

"I will definitely want an explanation later." she said, calling upon her will to regain her focus and stuff the Shard inside the pouch instead of enjoying the sensation a little longer.

"This really isn't my kind of thing." Axl excused himself. "Besides, you guys don't want me in charge of anything, trust me."

"And yet, there you were, leading Resistance soldiers." X pointed out.

"You got me there, but I think I'll sit this one out." Axl insisted. "I'm just gonna head out and check up on Alouette."

"Suit yourself." Cial retorted rather dryly, still a little annoyed at his earlier antics, but in a considerably better mood after the combination of spending time with family and the Shard's lingering warmth.

"_I don't know what that thing was, but… it did feel pleasant."_ she thought, allowing herself the slightest of smiles under the mask.

Ciel opened the door and with her mother on one side and her sister on the other, stepped inside. X and Zero followed, but Axl stayed outside.

"Welcome." Cerveau greeted as he stood up from his seat, behind one of a series of desks that had been arranged in a small circle.

With the government of Neo Arcadia dissolved, the Resistance was the de facto authority in the region, but this did not sit well with Ciel or the Maverick Hunters, and they had been eager to find another solution. The situation, however, had called for a moratorium on such plans.

For the time being, they had settled on increasing the number of representatives from the general population, in order to ensure that everyone had a fair chance of presenting their ideas and concerns. So it was that alongside Cerveau, Colbor, Milan, Faucon and Aurelia also sat a young woman in a green dress, wearing a straw hat over her brown curls and glancing around with hazel eyes that X and Zero recognized as Arverne, one of Rocinolle's assistants at the local school.

Next to her was another familiar face, smiling at them. It seemed that Neige had grown tired of wandering around, and had decided to start attending the meetings between stretches of construction work on her small radio tower, which they knew to be almost finished.

Finally, a rather portly man in a loose khaki tunic and slacks with a shaved head was taking the last seat, trying to stay awake by sipping from a large mug of coffee. By his appearance, especially the cuts and scrapes on his large hands, he was unused to manual labor and still learning his way around. The dark circles around his green eyes suggested he had gone several days without a full night's sleep. Zero recalled hearing something about him being one of the newcomers, a survivor from Neo Arcadia who was trying in earnest to adapt to the changes in the world. However, he could not recall the man's name.

"Some of you are already familiar with my mother." Ciel said.

"Good to see you all, old friends and new acquaintances." Lune added with a nod. "We have someone else joining us, hopefully on a permanent basis, but I'm afraid she's caught a bit of a flu and is wearing the mask for everyone's protection."

"_I suppose there are worse excuses..."_ Cial thought, feeling a little uncomfortable about suddenly being the center of attention in the room.

"And now that everyone's here..." Cerveau said. "We can begin."

"First order of business." the woman in the green dress said. "People have been asking about the kind of structure we're going to have once all of this is done."

"Ciel and these two brought me up to speed on things." Lune said with a nod. "A constitution, a legal framework, a system of government that people can agree on. Yes, we'll need those things..."

"But right now we have more pressing matters to attend to." Cerveau added. "I know some people get nervous about the future and we need to reassure them, but before we start getting grand ideas about new institutions we need to make sure people are kept fed and clothed."

"We'll prepare a basic draft if that'll get people to calm down." Colbor said. "We can revise it later before submitting it for approval, but it's not the top priority for now."

"Like I said before, I have no desire to become a leader again..." X said. "But if there's something you need me to do that doesn't involve taking responsibility from the top, let me know."

"Same." Zero added. "I'm not just good at breaking things, despite what some people may say."

"If he knows how to cook and clean too, he'll have suitors lining up around the block!" Neige joked, earning a flustered glare from Ciel and a chuckle from X.

"Sorry, but I think he's already spoken for." Lune added, seizing the opportunity to lighten the mood.

"_Really, Mother?"_ both twins thought, leering at her.

"Now that we've got that sorted, can we tell his fans to stop sending letters?" X asked jokingly. "They're great for kindling and all, but some of that stuff can't be read in polite company."

"_Et tu, X?"_ Ciel thought, turning a shade of scarlet.

* * *

The discussions dragged on for hours, with Cial furiously taking notes on a notebook she had brought along for the occasion. She stayed silent for most of it, taking in as much information as she could. The topics ranged from the mundane, such as progress on the efforts paving the streets and setting up power lines and plumbing to more humane matters such as the general mood of the people and relations between the organic and synthetic segments of the population. The portly man listened intently.

"On another mote..." Arverne added. "Congratulations to our friend and colleague Captain Faucon for his recent engagement."

"I..." the Resistance Captain in question stammered, looking a little bashful. "Thank you."

"_A human girl, no less."_ X thought with a smile. _"I'm glad people finally stopped caring about these divisions between human and Reploid..."_

"In these trying times..." the portly man said with an earnest smile. "It is important to find happiness."

"I'll definitely want to interview you later, if that's OK." Neige chimed in excitedly.

"How's the hand, by the way?" Zero added with a slight grin.

"Good as new." Faucon said, looking a little embarrassed. "I should have known you guys would handle it by yourselves."

"We were just at the right place at the right time." X said modestly.

"_Careful X..." _Milan thought with a smile. _"If you keep pulling stunts like those out in the open, people will start treating you like a messiah, no matter what you say."_

"Incidentally… what exactly was that?" Cerveau asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Some new ability you picked up along the way?"

"I'll… explain later." X said. "We don't want this meeting to last until next morning."

"That reminds me." Neige added. "I hope you guys have thought about my offer?"

After Ragnarok's conclusion and X's return, she had been visiting them sporadically, both out of personal interest and as a professional reporter, often asking when they'd have time for an interview once her radio station project was up and running.

"I suppose I did promise to get back to you..." X conceded with a rather shy smile. "You get that thing ready and then call us."

"Deal." she said, absolutely beaming. "It'll be the perfect inaugural event!"

"Before we wrap things up…" Cial said, finally speaking up. "What are we going to do about the economy? You cannot expect people to continue offering their time and skills on an indefinite term simply for the good of all. Sooner or later they will want something for themselves, even if just symbolic."

"_She does have a point..." _Ciel thought. _"But does she always have to be so blunt about it?"_

"So what would you suggest?" Ciel asked in turn.

"Energy crystals." Cial said simply. "They do not require minting, are not worth the hassle of fabricating forgeries as those would be instantly recognizable, and they have an actual immediate and practical value and use, which would discourage hoarding."

"It sounds like a reasonable plan." Cerveau said. "Plus we can create as many as we need to make up for consumption thanks to a certain someone's energy production system."

"We also need to talk about the matter of task assignments." Cial added. "We cannot have my… erm… Ciel shouldering the bulk of the burden. Part of being a leader is learning to delegate. Same goes for you, Chief Engineer."

"We have been discussing this for months." Cerveau pointed out. "We just can't seem to settle on a concrete plan other than Zero and the others doing their little interventions from time to time. There are too many matters clamoring for our attention."

"Well, that's about to change." Cial said. "I've finished going through the Resistance roster. We'll have to do a proper census later now that we're getting so many people from outside the organization, but for now I think we have a list of prospects."

She stood up and pulled out a large folder from underneath her cloak.

"I think it's about time you started training some assistants, Chief Engineer. We have plenty of talented people, so it's just a matter of approaching them to gauge their interest."

"As for Ciel, I suggest that she remains in her leadership position for now, but that we find or train more people to deal with the administrative side. Eventually she will need to train assistants of her own as well, but for now..."

She pulled out another folder and opened it, producing what looked like a schedule.

"Strict task divisions and time allocations." she explained. "The all-night binges need to stop, and she needs to get proper eight hours of sleep every night. The same goes for you, Chief Engineer."

"_Don't you think you're going a little too far?"_ Ciel thought, raising an eyebrow.

"I know my pace can be unsustainable, but did you really need to bring this up during the meeting?" Ciel asked.

"Yes, because that way people will know exactly what you will be doing and when, and will stop pestering you for help with other things when you are supposed to be resting." Cial retorted. "You and Cerveau aren't the only people with engineering and scientific training around here."

"No offense..." Cial added, glancing at the others. "But people tend to forget that she has her own things to do and there are only so many hours in the day."

"I suppose if there's something urgent, I can just reschedule some tasks." Ciel pondered, before turning to her sister. "But I hope you understand that means that I'll be counting on you to help me."

"I can live with that." Cial said rather flatly, trying not to betray the joy her sister's reply made her feel.

"And effective as of tomorrow, I'll be taking over some of Ciel's tasks." Lune added, straightening her glasses.

"Any other items for today?" Colbor asked.

"Well..." X said. "I've been thinking. The Resistance really doesn't have anything to resist against these days. Isn't it about time we started thinking of a name change?"

"Do you have something in mind?" Faucon asked.

"Well..." X said. "I'm not completely sure if it would be a good idea, but..."

"Guardian Corps." Zero added. "Yes, I know what you're probably thinking. Taking a name connected to those four may sound like a horrible idea, but X thinks it could be another step towards reconciliation."

"I… uh… yes..." X stammered, no longer used to speaking in public.

"I'm not sure what to think of that suggestion." Milan said cautiously.

"I will be the first to admit that the Four Guardians have made poor choices in the past." X said, gathering his will. "But we need to stop focusing on the ways we were all wronged if we want to move beyond the past. I have no delusions about this. It'll take time until they earn the trust of most other Reploids, but..."

"From a practical standpoint, they are seasoned veterans and could help keep our forces sharp and well-maintained." Cial added with a nod. "They also know the locations of and the access codes for several facilities outside Neo Arcadia that were abandoned and could contain useful materials and tools."

"You are not suggesting that they buy amnesty with those things, are you?" Colbor asked.

"Of course not." Ciel said, shaking her head. "But I've seen them in person, spoken to them. Their regret is genuine… and as their creator, I have a responsibility towards them."

She then stood up.

"If the Guardians were to be judged for their actions, then as the person responsible for their existence and the creation of the bastard copy, should I not-"

"Let's not go there." Zero interrupted.

"Agreed." Colbor said.

"Most of us are probably only standing here today because of what you did, Dr. Ciel." the portly man said. "I don't think anyone in their right mind would think of pointing fingers at you."

Lune nodded and smiled, encouraged to see people still standing up for her little girl.

"Thank you for the candid words, Mr… Zaius, was it?"

"Yes." the man replied. "But you don't need to thank me for speaking truth. A lot of us had to swallow its bitter pill when the illusions we were fed came crashing down."

"You're not just our head of research either." Cerveau added, turning to Ciel. "You're a leader, a presence driving us to be better… and a dear friend."

"We won't speak of digging up past trespasses." Milan said. "Those of us who joined your cause were willing to risk their lives for it. It'll take time for the Guardians to earn our trust, but if they're sincere about it, then I think we can give them a chance for your sake."

"If I may..." Zaius added. "To many of the survivors of Neo Arcadia, despite everything that happened the Guardians were still symbols of safety. Their efforts may have been misguided because they too wanted to believe, but the fact that they are already willing to work together should help ease the minds of those survivors."

* * *

After a few more minutes, the meeting finally ended. After everyone else had left, Cial remained, sorting her notes. Finally satisfied, she stuffed everything in the second folder, put them away and stepped outside as well. Lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the pair of eyes watching her as she made her way back to Ciel's house.

"Hey!" a high-pitched voice cried out. "Listen!"

Cial looked around in confusion and then noticed a tiny figure, wrapped in a blue glow and floating on wings of light, much like those of a butterfly.

"A Cyber Elf?" she wondered.

"Not just any Cyber Elf!" the figure squeaked excitedly. "Don't you recognize me?"

Under the mask, Cial's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait… is that you, Croire? The last time I saw you, you weren't even half finished."

"It wasn't the same without you around, so..."

"So Ciel finished the last project we started together… But where have you been?"

"I got pretty hurt on the way down from Ragnarok. Someone picked me up and took care of me."

"So that's what happened." Cial said with as sigh of relief. "I guess Ciel forgot to mention that with everything else that's been going on. But who was it?"

"I don't know. Some guy in a hood. He was nice enough and took pretty good care of me, but he wouldn't let me see his face or even give me his name."

"Well..." Cial said. "A mystery for another time."

She glanced around suspiciously to make sure nobody was watching, and then gently patted the Cyber Elf's tiny head with a single finger.

* * *

A few minutes later, at Ciel's house…

"Ciel." Cial called out, trying to maintain an even tone. "Someone's here to see you."

Ciel stepped out of her small home workshop and her eyes widened as she saw the tiny glowing figure that flew out from underneath her sister's cloak.

"Croire!" she cried out. "What happened to you? I was worried sick!"

"It looks like our little fairy got rescued by a mysterious stranger." Cial explained as she pulled off the breathing mask. "Shame on you for not telling me you had finished her though."

"Yes, that was on me..." Ciel conceded. "Sorry. I've just had..."

"So much to think about, yes, I know." Cial interrupted. "Which is exactly why you need me around to keep things organized. You're trying to cram so many thoughts, ideas, worries and whatnot in that head of yours, it's actually starting to leak."

Ciel felt pretty bad about her memory lapse and did the best thing she could under such circumstances. She held the tiny Cyber Elf with both hands and gently gave her the closest thing to a hug, pressing her against her chest.

"I missed you..." she said. "I was so worried about you..."

"Missed you too." Croire said, before making a strange sound, almost like a tiny cat purring.

Cial tried to step past them and give them some space, but Ciel would have none of it, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her into a three way hug.

"We've got so much catching up to do!" the tiny Cyber Elf squealed in delight. "Oh! And where's Zero?"


	17. Renewal

Chapter 17 – Renewal

With her sister in tow and the tiny Cyber Elf of their design perched on her shoulder, Ciel stepped outside, where she found the object of her search in the middle of a discussion with Axl.

"I suppose that looking back, it makes sense." Zero pondered. "X was always the one doubting himself and fighting against that doubt. This Warrior of Light stuff sounds right up his alley."

"Yep." Axl said. "Even that bit about thinking he's not good enough. If… when he finds Alia, I hope she can convince him to give himself a little more credit."

"As for me, I was always more action oriented." Zero added. "Cutting straight to the point. I'm not going to deny that I had my times in the pits though."

"Still, remember what they said." X pointed out as he got up from the spot in the shade of a tree where he had been sitting and joined the conversation. "In theory, all of us could call upon this. I guess part of it is a matter of having the right disposition?"

"Maybe." Zero said with a shrug. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather rely on our strength and drive, rather than on something I don't really understand."

"That's fair, I suppose." X conceded. "That said, if I find a way to help you unlock this, or if it comes to you on its own, it could be interesting."

"It definitely looks like our visitors don't have all the answers either way." Zero remarked. "That weird kid freaked them out as much as as he did us."

"I just wonder what the boy meant..." X recalled. "The whole melody thing? What, does he want us to burst into song like in one of those ancient animated movies?"

"Now there's something I'd like to see." Axl teased. "I suppose those rabbits and other fluffy critters you like so much might come swarming."

"I should have expected Phantom to mention that..." X said, recalling his incorporeal trek back to the settlement and one of the distractions along the way.

"Oh please!" Axl retorted with a grin. "You were always like that! If it wasn't for Sigma or some other asshole starting crap every five minutes, I'm sure you'd have gotten a pet or ten eventually."

"Nothing wrong with being sensitive, mind you." Zero added. "I just wonder how some of the people who put our so-called legend on a pedestal would react if they knew just how human we can be."

"_Does falling in love count as a reaction?"_ Ciel silently wondered, glancing adoringly at Zero.

"_They were… definitely not what I had expected in person." _Cial mused next to her. _"Not that it's necessarily a bad thing..."_

The twin sisters exchanged glances, not wanting to interrupt the conversation, but a glimmer of mischief appeared in Croire's tiny beady black eyes. The Cyber Elf dimmed her aura, revealing her diminutive humanoid form wrapped in a blue one piece outfit and her soft tiny face with golden hair in a bowl cut. She spread her golden wings of light in the shape of a butterfly's, then scooted over around them, carefully avoiding the trio's line of sight. Once she was in position, she launched herself at Zero like a tiny torpedo.

Startled, the legendary Maverick Hunter felt something bury itself in his overly long hair and instinctively jumped, letting out a rather uncharacteristically high-pitched screech. X and Axl, startled in turn, turned their heads in his direction in surprise and then blinked.

"I didn't know you could make that kind of sound..." Axl remarked, struggling to hold back his laughter.

"Neither did I..." Zero grumbled in visible embarrassment before reaching into his mane. "What's this?"

"Remember me?" the tiny Cyber Elf chimed in, clinging to his hand.

"Croire..." he said with a fond smile as he loved his hand closer to take a better look at her. "I knew it would take more than that to get you down. But what happened to you?"

"It was a mess..." the Cyber Elf explained with a wince. "That whole thing was blowing up and falling apart, then I lost track of you and got clipped by a piece of metal. The next thing I knew, I was floating in space… and then he came."

"He?" Zero echoed. "Who are you talking about?"

"I don't know for sure." Croire clarified. "I never saw his face and he wouldn't give me his name. A guy dressed all in white, covered with a hood… and with a huge pair of wings."

"Wings?" Ciel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He wouldn't talk much about himself… but he did ask a bunch of stuff." Croire recalled. "Especially about you girls, about X and Zero… How you were, what you were up to and so on."

"He asked about both of us?" Ciel asked.

"By name." Croire confirmed.

"Strange..." Cial remarked. "Most people outside the Resistance or our former classmates wouldn't even know I exist..."

"What else did you talk about?" Zero asked, a little suspicious.

"That was most of it." Croire explained. "He said something about being glad that Ciel was in good hands and was sure that someone would get Cial to come home… I guess he was right."

"What else can you tell us?" Ciel asked, her mind already sensing another mystery to dissect.

"Not that much." Croire said. "It looked like he was trying very hard not to tell anything about himself… and during the time I stayed there I never saw him sleep. Not even once. But I can tell you two things."

"Oh?" Ciel asked.

"There was someone else there who kept coming and going. A tall guy with dark hair and a weird outfit. His face was always wrapped in some kind of weird scarf so I didn't get a good look at him either. The other one kept calling him his mentor or something."

"And the other thing?" Cial asked.

"He took very good care of me." Croire recalled. "Wouldn't let me out of his sight until I was completely recovered. As for the second thing... I wanted him to come back with me, but he wouldn't budge… and he sounded really, really sad about something. Every time I tried to ask why, he'd just clam up."

"Another mystery for our growing list then..." Ciel pondered. "But how are you feeling now?"

"Good as new!" Croire said excitedly, before looping through the air around Zero's head a few times. "See?"

"I can't help feeling like a bit of a jerk, leaving you back there..." Zero said. "I guess we were both lucky."

"There was nothing you could have done." Croire countered. "I was more worried about you, but the hooded guy told me you were OK."

"How did he know?" Zero wondered.

He then turned to Ciel.

"I still have no idea how I made it back down. I blacked out and the next thing I knew you were throwing your arms around my neck."

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much either." Ciel said, slightly flustered as she recalled what she had done in front of everyone. "The girls called me from Mission Control. They said there was a flash of light outside the old Resistance base and some of the soldiers on lookout duty found you just sitting there."

"The hell…?" Zero muttered.

"Definitely another mystery." X pondered. "But I think we have enough things on our minds for now."

"Like that thing you asked me to put away." Cial said, before handing him the pouch with the Radiant Shard. "You left the meeting in such a hurry you forgot to ask for it back."

"Oh..." X realized. "I guess I wasn't paying attention. Thanks."

"I'm still waiting for that explanation." Cial said. "When I touched that thing, it made me feel… strange."

"You mean like a warmth spreading through you?" Ciel asked with a smile.

"It's one thing for you and Mother and these three to tell me that I deserve to give myself a second chance." Cial remarked rather bitterly. "But I'm still in the process of convincing myself of it."

The normally composed former Head Administrator stared at her right hand with an anxious look on her face and sighed.

"It was as if..." she said, struggling for words. "As if something was telling me that I am worth caring for. After what I was a part of, do I even have the right to feel like that?"

"You do." Ciel replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. "In fact, I'm guessing the reason why it happened when it did was because you needed it."

"How do you know?" Cial asked, a little surprised.

"I've had a taste of it myself." Ciel explained. "Can you show her, X?"

X nodded and once again summoned the white radiance to his hand. Caught by surprise, Cial stared at it for a moment… then slowly, hesitantly reached for his hand.

"Yes… that's what I felt." she said once the tip of her fingers were touching the back of his hand and the strange sensation crept through her arm and into her chest once again.

Cial paused for a moment, surprised by another sudden sensation. She reached for her own face and realized that she was becoming misty eyed. In a start, she quickly withdrew her hand and turned away from X.

"I get it..." X said with a nod, gently placing a hand on her back. "You're still hurting, aren't you? You're still trying to shed the weight of the past and the light touched the wound in your heart."

"How do you do it?" Cial asked with a sigh, keeping her back turned to him. "How do you keep moving forward?"

"By learning to forgive myself for my failures." X said. "By accepting myself for who I am and focusing on the people and things that matter instead of a past I cannot change."

Seeing her sister – normally so fully in control of herself – in such a state left Ciel feeling rather unsettled. She stepped closer and stared at her face to face.

"I know we had our differences..." Ciel said. "But I never thought you were a bad person so to speak."

"Can the Reploids who had to watch their friends and loved ones be hunted down and scrapped say the same?" Cial retorted with a bitter scowl. "I know you, Zero and Axl shut down plenty of those so-called retirement centers yourselves. You saw what was happening there. Even if my role was administrative, I was still a part of it. My hands are still stained."

"Ice Queen..." Axl intervened, his tone and expression unusually serious. "Stop it. Please. You weren't the one organizing that sick shit. You were trying to keep a city with millions of people still running while the assholes at the top spent their time playing Evil Overlord. We both know they would have run that place into the ground in months if you hadn't been there."

The change in his demeanor from his usual clownish self definitely surprised her, and she did not have a retort ready.

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"Your copy and Weil had absolutely none of your skills at organizing stuff." Axl explained. "They just wanted to be in charge and impose their will. They had no idea how to run a place meant for people to live in. Do you think their kind would actually listen, or just surround themselves with yes-men?"

"Not to mention that bastard Weil reprogrammed the Eight Judges after he took over..." Ciel pointed out. "I'm sure you also remember he had no qualms about turning the husks of his defeated enforcers into mindless drones."

"That much is true..." Cial conceded. "They were obsessed with stamping out the Resistance and then anyone else even thinking about leaving Neo Arcadia. After all, Weil wanted to turn the outside world into a lifeless wasteland again just so nobody would be outside his reach."

"Is that the real reason why you stayed then?" Ciel asked.

"My intent was always to preserve order." Cial clarified. "Some sort of structure that could ensure the survival of humanity. The thing about having megalomaniacs at the top is that their priorities usually run counter to that. They don't usually want their domains to outlast them."

"They do love throwing their toys out when they lose." Axl remarked. "None of us could have predicted what Craft did, but a lot of people would have probably starved or wasted away in prison before we got there to evacuate the city."

"In fact..." Axl added. "I'm pretty sure you saved a lot of lives, Ice Queen."

"H-How did you..." Cial muttered.

"Spy, remember?" Axl pointed out. "I already knew about the information leaks in those neat little packages… including lists of people slated for arrest. Funny how that intel always reached us before the goon squads got the actual orders."

"Weil's takeover was the last straw." Cial remarked with a smirk.

"Meaning you weren't just tipping us off but wanted to bring the whole system down." Ciel remarked.

"So that's what happened..." Ciel realized, having pieced together some portions from their previous conversations. "But how did you manage to keep doing it without anyone suspecting it?"

"I guess being an anti-social workaholic recluse paid off." Cial said with a smirk.

"The fake was too busy with his delusions to notice." she elaborated. "Weil probably did not even know I existed, and I did not bother formally resigning, for obvious reasons. All pretense of subtlety went out the window when I found out about Ragnarok though."

"I imagine it also felt pretty good to outsmart those two smug assholes." Axl said with a grin.

"It did." Cial admitted with a satisfied smirk. "They thought the whole world just had to bend to their whims. I despise self-important fools drunk on power they did not earn."

"Let me say this much..." X said with a timid smile. "I'm glad you're with us."

Hearing such appreciation from him caught her off guard.

"Just making up for my mistakes..." she said, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"I hope I never get on your bad side." X added jokingly, surprising her yet again.

"Y-You… don't have anything to fear from me." she stuttered, trying to regain her composure as quickly as possible. Reconciling with her family was one thing, but earnest praise from the likes of X was something she was not prepared for yet.

"Him, on the other hand..." she added, glancing at Axl. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"Was that a joke I just heard, Ice Queen?" Axl asked, reverting to his usual self.

"Or was it?" she retorted, completely deadpan.

"I'll take that risk." Axl said with a shrug. "Mark my words, I'll make you laugh yet."

"But back to the original topic..." Cial said, unwilling to let go of her train of thought or entertain Axl's antics. "What was that thing?"

"Apparently, a gift from another world." X said. "I'm going to ask you to keep this to yourself for now since I'm still trying to understand it all, but it seems there are these people out there called Warriors of Light… and the presence in this crystal recognized me as one of them."

"What does that even mean?" Cial asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"It means that X is the kind of guy who gives of himself for everyone else's sake." Zero said with a shrug. "We didn't need some glowing piece of whatever that is to tell us that."

"But apparently being a huge softy isn't the only reason why he makes people all warm and fuzzy on the inside." Axl added with his usual cheeky grin.

"We had some… unusual visitors." X said. "A man and a woman who showed up while we were investigating that buried library, and then again after this… Radiant Shard crashed down. They have this power too and said a lot of strange things about it."

"Like what?" Cial asked.

"They said it's part of who I am." X elaborated. "That it comes from love and courage and reflects my true self… but also that everyone could in theory learn to use it eventually."

"I don't care about power..." Cial said. "Or about going around glowing like a firefly. Coming from anyone else, I might have dismissed that as pseudo-mystical babble. But there's definitely something real here. Something… soothing."

"Yes..." X said with a nod. "This power helped me in the past, when I was in tight spots or on the verge of losing my sense of self. What intrigues me the most about it though is how it can help me save lives… and how using it makes me feel like I have the warmth of life itself in my chest, even in this temporary body."

"And the kid?" Axl asked. "The one going on about melodies?"

"The kid?" Cial asked, a little confused.

"Someone else came along." X explained. "A boy who popped in out of nowhere. He said something about songs and harmony but I'm still trying to figure out what exactly he meant. I guess these Warriors of Light have different methods."

"And what about you?" Cial asked, glancing at Zero.

"I don't remember ever being able to do that." Zero said with a shrug. "For now, I'd rather rely on things I know I can count on. My conviction, my Z-Saber and my friends."

"You know..." Croire chimed in. "I've seen that before."

"What do you mean?" Zero asked.

"The glowing hand thing?" Croire clarified. "I'm pretty sure the guy who took care of me had that same light. Some Cyber Elves have healing abilities, but not exactly like that. Ours can patch you up, but can't make you feel all warm and fuzzy. His did."

"And you said he had… wings?" X asked.

"Big, fluffy, white as snow." Croire recalled. "Softest things I've ever seen Gotta say I was… a tiny bit jealous."

"I'm not sure what to think of all of this." X said. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see what else life throw our way."

"Oh!" Alouette cried out excitedly, having returned from classes. "Is that you, Croire?!"

"The one and only!" the tiny Cyber Elf squeaked before darting in the direction of the small Reploid girl.

With a beaming smile, Alouette took Croire in her hand and gently pressed her against her cheek in the closest approximation of a hug she could muster without squishing the much smaller being.

"I missed you!"

"Sorry I made you worry." Croire managed to squeak. "It won't happen again."

* * *

A few more days passed, and Ciel definitely began to notice a difference as her sister's plans came into effect. With more people sharing the burden and important activities meticulously planned, the net effect was that she and Cerveau found themselves with considerably lighter schedules, leaving more time to focus on their pet projects and get some decent rest.

During this time, Cial and Lune also organized an expedition to the point of origin of the rampaging Mechaniloid, scouring the old abandoned factory for anything of immediate use and preparing the bulkier machinery still in working condition for the day when it would be needed again rather than carrying it all the way back.

"Some of these furnaces can be repurposed..." Cerveau remarked after joining them at the factory and inspecting the contents. "With a few adjustments, I think we can have them cranking out Titanium X."

"That's outside my particular area of expertise..." Cial said. "But even I know what that means."

"It would have taken us much longer to find this place if not for that incident." Lune said. "It wasn't on any of the maps we recovered, so we didn't even know it existed."

The gray metal building had been partially concealed by a rock slide, and the trail of destruction left by the Mechaniloid had definitely helped find it. An inspection of the system logs inside had revealed that the machine had been triggered by a random power surge, likely caused by lack of maintenance on the facility's generators. Thanks to the combination of this windfall, Lune's assistance and Cial's organizational skills, work on X's new body advanced by leaps and bounds.

* * *

A few more weeks passed...

One evening, the twin girls and their mother were heading back home, after a long day of work and meetings.

"So..." Lune said. "Now that it's just us here, what do you think?"

"I think it's good that someone is tempering their enthusiasm for a change." Cial remarked. "But… it could work."

"To be fair, people are going to get tired of canned food eventually and it'll be a while before Andrew's first crops are ready." Ciel noted. "Not everyone shares my taste in fruit and wild berries, and it's good to have alternatives."

Unwilling to commit the resources to starting large scale livestock breeding at such a stage of development, but concerned about the human population's long term nutritional needs, a group of biologists and engineers had managed to return an old cellular growth unit to working condition. The encoded genetic information of dozens of varieties of edible animals had been carefully preserved in digital format centuries prior, around the time others had figured out a method of producing food grade cloned meat without the unnatural texture or unpleasant chemical smell and aftertaste of prior experiments. Such technology had also been in use in Neo Arcadia, but in the chaos of the evacuation there had simply been no time to recover any units from there.

"_Truth be told..."_ Ciel thought, feeling her mouth watering. _"I do miss the taste of fresh meat. Steak. Those thick broths Mother used to make…"_

At the end of their trek, the three crossed the doorway and put their notes down on a small table in front of the couch. While they were still discussing what to do in terms of living space, for the time being Lune and Cial had settled for sharing a small unused room in the same house, which they had quickly managed to furnish with the basics.

"We'll just have to see how things go." Lune said as she headed to the kitchen and set about improvising a meal with the ingredients at hand.

Cial nodded as she stepped in to give a hand.

"This does bring me back..." she remarked, still getting accustomed to the family setting once again.

"Simpler days..." Ciel said with a nod, joining in as well.

* * *

About an hour later...

Having finished eating a light meal, Ciel decided to go to bed early, hoping to get some extra rest.

Weighed down by fatigue after another long day of work, she slipped into slumber in a matter of seconds after her head touched the pillow. However, it appeared that something had decreed she would not be able to get much rest that night.

* * *

"Not this again..." Ciel lamented as she recognized a familiar scene in her nightmares.

Once again she found herself reliving what she knew to have been the last moments of a brave, foolish boy who had attempted to protect her. This time, however, something felt different. Her heart had been strengthened by the events of the previous months, and instead of the old familiar dread, instead she felt determination.

"Back to the same old song and dance..." she thought out loud. "But even if I can't change what happened out there, maybe here I can..."

She focused her will, and to her surprise she found that everything in the dream froze in place… with one glaring exception.

"Now why didn't I think of this before?" she wondered, before her gaze was met by another's.

"I know I'm just dreaming." she said with a sigh, staring firmly at the familiar face. "This won't change what has already happened. But at least here, maybe I can finally make a little sense of-"

"No Ciel." the boy interrupted, starting at her through the square lenses of his glasses with deep blue eyes. "You have to stop coming back here."

"It's not like I came by choice." she protested. "But I suppose I'm still struggling to understand."

He said nothing, giving her a sad look.

"Why did you do this to your father, to my sister, to me?" she insisted, staring at him. "To yourself?"

"You know what they say..." the boy finally said. "About good intentions and where they lead..."

With a rumbling sound, the walls collapsed and the scenery abruptly changed, shifting into the edge of the crater where Neo Arcadia once stood. The blue eyed boy's glasses cracked and fell off, and his face abruptly transformed into that of another boy who had wounded her in a different way. His garments changed accordingly, with the labcoat soon being replaced by a familiar blue suit of armor. Dark, churning clouds appeared overhead, shrouding the scene in an eerie twilight.

"You again..." she hissed, glaring daggers at the red eyed figure.

"Why are you still complaining?" her greatest failure taunted. "I am what you made me, Mother. I could never be anything more than a fake, a replacement for a hero and some dead kid!"

"That's not true!" she retorted.

"Good." a familiar voice said from behind her. "Fight it."

Ciel looked over her shoulder and she saw once again the bespectacled boy clad in white. He edged closer for a moment, but then for some reason stopped in place, keeping his distance from her.

"Don't let him guilt trip you, Ciel." the boy pleaded. "If you must blame anyone, then blame me."

"How's that any better?!" she protested, turning around to face him. "I don't want to blame anyone! I just want some peace!"

"This is my fault..." the boy lamented with a look of profound grief. "I set this in motion."

"However..." he added, clenching his fists and showing the same determined expression he had worn on that horrible day. "There's something you need to realize."

"What?"

"You're doing this to yourself." he pointed out. "These nightmares are your own mind's doing."

"I know." she lamented in frustration.

"Which means the only person who can stop this is you." the boy added, straightening his glasses. "I'm just a figment of your imagination. I can't give you the answers you need and my role in your life is over. But I'm not going to let you face this alone."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"It's time to let go of the past." the boy said with a stern look. "Grasp the future with both hands!"

"Come forth!" the boy called out, pointing straight up. "Break through a sky misted by tears and reveal the stars above! Emblem of Light! Messiah of Steel!"

In a radiant flash, another figure took his place, clad in a very familiar suit of red armor over a black body glove, brandishing the unmistakable Z-Saber.

"You're full of shit, faker." Zero spat at the red eyed fiend as he interposed himself between the fake and Ciel. "Your path was never set in stone."

"What are you going on about now, you useless relic?" the copy sneered with a look of pure hatred.

"Just look at me." the apparition of Zero said. "A madman created me to be a devil but I chose to live as a man. A gentle girl created you to be a hero but you thought yourself a god… and chose to become a devil."

"Who's full of shit now?" the copy retorted with a deranged grin, unfurling his bladed metallic wings and darting towards Zero. "Look at the destroyer pretending to be a hero."

"Shut up." Zero retorted. "Shut up and leave her alone."

He raised his Z-Saber above his head with both hands and suddenly his entire body began to glow with the same radiance X and the strangers had displayed before. The Z-Saber's blade took on the same white glow and grew to a frankly ludicrous size.

"I am Zero." he proclaimed. "I am the Sword of Ciel. And you are nothing."

With that, he abruptly brought the blade down upon the hateful apparition, banishing it from existence in a flash of white.

The dream version of Zero stood there patiently until the flash faded, then turned to her with a smile she had never seen him wear before, pure, innocent, unburdened… with an intensely warm gaze that left her out of breath.

"Nobody will ever hurt you again." he said, stepping in her direction. "I promise."

With that, he placed a hand on her cheek and began leaning closer...

* * *

Dazed, emotionally drained and utterly baffled, Ciel suddenly opened her eyes.

"That had to be the weirdest one ever..." she muttered to herself. "But where did my mind get all of that from?"

It was then that she heard a sound in the air. She paused and listened intently, trying to discern what it was. An energetic song she did not recognize, accompanied by a singing voice.

**Love you! Love you!  
The entire world is waitin****g ****j****ust for you,  
Until the end of days!**

The song appeared to be coming from somewhere very close. After a moment gathering her thoughts, Ciel realized what had happened. It appeared that Alouette had forgotten to shut down the old stereo system set in her room before falling asleep. An unfamiliar song from ancient times was left still playing on a loop, at a relatively low volume but still clearly audible as their rooms were right next to each other.

"_Messiah of Steel… __So that's where she got that nickname from..."_ she thought as she listened for a little while and recognized both the name and some of the words uttered by the boy during the strange dream. _"I suppose it fits..."_

The notion of a song influencing her in her sleep and bringing her exactly what she needed to break out of the nightmare felt ludicrously far fetched. However, she couldn't help appreciating the results.

"_I suppose I should be proud of my imagination..."_ she silently mused, feeling rather flustered. _"Even if it cut me off at the best part."_

Perhaps the combination of her burning affection and fatigued state were leaving her a little giddy, or perhaps she simply longed for that overwhelming sensation in her chest again. Either way, if Zero had been there at that moment, he would have likely found her arms thrown around his neck once more.

"_Sometimes you're too much of a gentleman for your own good, Zero… even in a dream."_ she thought, divided between affection and frustration.

Not quite a girl anymore, but not yet a grown woman, she craved his embrace but understood his restraint. She had never felt this way about anyone before in her life, and while these emotions were a source of strength and comfort, they could also leave her drained at times.

"_Maybe I'm just weird… but after meeting someone like that, how could I even look at anyone else?"_ she thought, feeling her heart pounding again.

With a sigh, she got out of bed and silently made her way to Alouette's room.

The small Reploid girl she had grown to love as a little sister was fast asleep at her desk, seemingly having dozed off after eating. Sheets of paper and a couple of pens were strewn about the top of the desk. Some of the papers looked like homework from school, while others contained random doodles of various things. In one she saw Old Andrew, tending to the fields. In another she saw what looked like Alouette's attempt at imagining what the old Reploid had looked like before changing his appearance. Other drawings showed her, Zero, X, Axl and even Lune and Cial, doing mundane things together as a family.

"_These are actually pretty good…"_ she realized. _"But..."_

"_You're far too young to be copying my bad habits..." _Ciel thought with a smile as she glanced at her soft face, completely relaxed in her sleep. _"I'll have to work on setting a better example for you."_

The last drawing made her smile in a mixture of joy and embarrassment, as she saw Zero carrying Alouette on his shoulders… and Ciel herself in what looked like a classic bridal carry.

"_Not very subtle, are you?"_ she thought with a smile, wondering how long Alouette had been hoping the two would end up together.

She shut down the stereo set on the desk, then took a moment to gently pat Alouette's head before picking her up from the chair and carrying her to bed.

"_You have no idea how i__mportant you are__..."_ Ciel thought as she tucked her in. _"Or… maybe you do. You and Zero are the best things that ever happened to me."_

Once she made sure that Alouette was comfortably resting, Ciel kissed her forehead and went back to her room.

"My mind just… cooks up the weirdest things..." she grumbled to herself as she got back under the sheets, trying to ignore the warmth spreading across her face and chest from the memory of Zero's imaginary display.

Before laying her head down on the pillow, she spared a thought for the bespectacled boy from her past who had unwittingly set those events in motion years prior in a misguided attempt to protect his classmates.

"_Wherever you are… I hope you found your peace too… Cadmus Atreides."_

This was indeed the last time she would find herself haunted by nightmares of that day or confronted by the visage of her hateful creation. For many years to come, she would not be completely sure if her mind had constructed that entire scene under the song's influence or if something else had intruded upon her dreams.

Meanwhile, in another room, the former Head Administrator of Neo Arcadia had momentarily reverted to the state of a young girl and nestled herself next to Lune like both sisters used to do when they were younger.

For the first time in several years, she was finally able to dream. Tranquil days under clear skies flooded her mind. With the semi-permanent scowl gone from her sleeping face, she looked nearly indistinguishable from her twin apart from the shorter hair and different clothing.

* * *

A few more weeks later...

"Well buddy..." Axl said with an excited grin as he glanced at X. "Tomorrow is your big day. How are you feeling?"

"Excited and nervous." X said, fidgeting slightly with his hands.

"Don't be." Axl said. "It's not like you're tying the knot with Alia just yet. You still need to find her first."

"I get it already..." X said, feeling a little embarrassed. "I know you want to see people around you happy, but even after all these years it still feels a bit weird to talk about this stuff out loud."

"Would you rather I sang about you two sitting in a tree?" Axl teased.

"You're absolutely terrible." X said with a smirk.

"I know." Axl retorted with his usual shameless grin.

"You know..." Axl realized a moment later. "I thought you'd be looking happier about this."

"I've had a lot on my mind, that's all." X said. "Even more after..."

"After you got visited by a talking space rock that called you a Warrior of Light?" Axl guessed.

"Something like that, yes." X said with a nod. "I thought about trying to activate it again and asking some more questions, but I just haven't had the time."

"No time like the present, as they say." Axl remarked.

"I suppose you're right." X conceded, before reaching for the pouch he had kept close to him since the day of the strange encounter.

Hesitantly, he pulled the strange object out into the light and attempted to trigger a reaction like the previous one by igniting his inner radiance. Strangely, nothing seemed to happen.

"Don't tell me it's broken." Axl joked.

"After making an entrance like that, it would be more than a little disappointing." X remarked.

As if on cue, the chunk of the strange crystalline substance lit up once again and X felt his mind whisked away like the first time.

* * *

"Usul, was it?" he asked as he found his consciousness floating before the outsider's manifestation in the same strange landscape as before.

"I suppose that's the problem with trying to make a grand introduction..." the young man remarked with a smirk. "Sometimes a Warrior of Light can't as much as sneeze without attracting the attention of others of our kind."

X blinked. After such a rather grandiose introduction, the man floating before him sounded surprisingly casual, joking even.

"Are you talking about those three?" X asked. "The man, the woman and the boy?"

"Who else?" the young man retorted with a shrug. "It was a bit of a dick move on the boy's part, but I suppose I should feel some measure of pride in the fact that people in other worlds already know my name."

"Wait a minute..." X said. "Does that mean you're aware of your surroundings? Are you supposed to be some kind of artificial intelligence?"

"I see I found myself a smart one." the young man noted with a smile. I get the feeling the next several years are going to be interesting indeed."

"I've had some experience with this kind of thing before..." X said, recalling the holographic messages sent by his creator. "But you haven't answered my question."

"Patience, my boy." the stranger said. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be packing all my knowledge in your head. I sense you already have a little experience with this power, but you have just seen a small fraction of what you can do with it."

The young man floated towards X, until the two were hovering face to face.

"As for what I am..." he added. "A Radiant Shard is essentially a magitek construct, powered by the light of its creator. You could call the manifestation before you an echo. An imprint of the original Usul's personality and memories at the time of creation."

"Magitek?" X repeated. "As in…?"

"Yes, a hybrid of magic and technology." the young man confirmed. Seeing the look of confusion in X's face, he elaborated further. "There are far stranger things out there, both sublime and grotesque. You and I are due for many long conversations for the next few years."

"I do suppose it would be too dangerous or at least inconvenient to dump everything on me in one go while my body just stands there." X conceded.

"You have no idea how many times the original Usul struggled with that very same predicament." the figure said with a grin.

"But if you are self-aware, doesn't it bother you that you're just someone else's copy, cast out into the unknown?" X pointed out.

"On the contrary." the young man said with a shake of his head. "The original Usul was always a wanderer at heart, with his eyes constantly fixated on the horizon. I am a part of him and this is merely a continuation of the endless journey. He's still out there somewhere, whether in his original form or in a different incarnation. Should I return to him one day, I will have so many stories to tell..."

"And you came all this way just because of me?" X asked.

"I did not know what I was going to find." the young man corrected. "But I have no doubt that it was your presence that awakened me. While I may not know everything about you, your light tells me the important part."

"Aren't you assuming a little too much?" X asked.

"On the contrary. The ability to sense good and evil is but one of many our kind possess. Even now, you are as a shining beacon to those who are trained to perceive these things."

"What… exactly do you see in me then?" X asked.

"Love and sorrow intertwined. For the world and for those who dwell in it." the young man said, with a haunted look. "It's funny how I would find someone so much like the original Usul so far from my point of origin."

"What do you mean?"

"Everywhere he went, the original Usul would find himself entangled in the troubles of others… and fighting for their sake no matter how tired he got of it at times. Much like you, he struggled with doubt, bitterness and sorrow, but still rose above them to fight for those who cannot."

"You gathered all that about me just from… this?" X asked, before manifesting the increasingly familiar light again.

"I cannot read minds, though a common ability among Warriors of Light is the sharing of thoughts and emotions regardless of the distance. Others possess the ability to delve into particularly significant memories of others, but that is beyond me in this state… not to mention that particular ability can be quite a hassle since it tends to trigger randomly and involuntarily."

"I think I'll pass." X said with a wince. "But so..."

"I cannot read minds, but your intent shines through. This nobility of spirit is a key factor in awakening these abilities. Though the outward effects could be replicated by other means, the burning in your heart cannot."

"I see..." X said hesitantly.

"We will speak at greater length later." the young man said. "I'm not going anywhere. And lest you worry, I can perceive my immediate surroundings when the Radiant Shard is activated, but I do not see outside its boundaries in the traditional sense. Whatever secrets or privacy you may be concerned about, they are safe. Now go on. Your friend is beginning to worry."

* * *

In a flash, X found himself returned to his temporary body, while a grinning Axl stared at him.

"You know..." Axl remarked. "We'd better hurry and find Alia. If you're gonna make a habit of it, we'll need her to wake you up."

"Q-Quiet you..." X grumbled, visibly embarrassed.

"Wait… don't tell me..." Axl realized. "After all those years, you never even got to k-"

"That's quite enough." Lune interrupted, lightly bonking Axl over the head with her knuckles.

"I like you, boy." she added, rolling her eyes. "But sometimes you need to know when to drop it."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the facility the Guardians were still using as a temporary home…

A gray metallic heavy duty door opened with a pneumatic hiss and the unmistakable figure of the resident aquatic operations specialist stepped inside. She glanced around the chamber, an old security station which had been repurposed into a combination of bunk and living area, to find Phantom typing away at an old computer, Harpuia studying weather data from recent records and Fefnir absently tinkering with one of his cannons at a table.

"If you three are here..." Leviathan remarked. "Then who's coming in through the front door now?"

Phantom quickly put away whatever file he was writing into, then checked the camera feed on one of the monitors. To his surprise, however, the cameras were offline.

"What the hell?!" Fefnir interjected over his shoulder. "These stupid pieces of-"

Another door opened nearby, and through it walked a petite figure, covered in a brown hooded cloak and with her face hidden underneath a breathing mask.

"I thought you'd still be here." it said with a feminine voice as four pairs of eyes quickly converged on it.

"It has been a while..." Phantom said, turning to look at the newcomer. "What are you doing here… Head Administrator?"

"That title no longer has any meaning." Cial retorted, before removing the mask. "But how did you know it was me?"

"Only six people were supposed to have the list of access codes for these facilities." Phantom reminded her. "Four are here and one is permanently deactivated… and the physical storage devices that contained them are gone."

"You were always the most logical of the four." Cial noted.

"Well, this is a surprise." Fefnir said. "But what do you want?"

Cial took a deep breath and showed the faintest hint of a smile.

"First things first. It is… good to see you again."

Fefnir blinked, caught by surprise.

"Uh… what?"

"I am trying to be sincere here." she said, looking almost offended.

"Don't take it the wrong way..." Harpuia chimed in. "I think I speak for all of us when I say this was unexpected."

"I am trying to learn from my mother and sister's example..." Cial said hesitantly. "To be more… open about these things."

"Admittedly, neither of us was ever very good at it." Phantom remarked, giving her a sympathetic glance.

"Indeed." she noted.

"You two really are peas in a pod." Leviathan remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have no expectations about us suddenly becoming the best of friends..." Cial said, still hesitant. "But since you are collaborating with my sister and the others, then..."

"So what's what this is about." Harpuia realized. "I wasn't expecting you to have thrown your lot with them."

"What did you expect then?" Cial asked. "That I'd try to start another Neo Arcadia somewhere? Repeat what was already pointless?"

"Honestly, I didn't know what to expect." Leviathan spoke her piece. "I guess all of us have had plenty of time to question our choices."

"Things might have ended differently if my mother had not managed to track me down." Cial conceded. "I might have simply ended up starving in the wilderness or staying hidden in that damp cave."

"That would have been a waste of your talents." Phantom remarked. "Not to mention your family would have not been very happy about it."

"I… could not bear the thought of facing those two." Cial admitted in a rare display of vulnerability. "But since it appears that all of us are getting a second chance regardless of whether we think we deserve one..."

"I will have to stop you right there." Phantom intervened.

"Yeah, we're tired of beating ourselves up over that stuff, even if we fucked up big time." Fefnir added.

"Besides..." Leviathan joined in. "As much as we're still learning to grasp certain things, some of us do understand family and its importance."

"I suppose we should be touched that you bothered coming here in person." Harpuia said.

"I suppose I wanted an opportunity to speak to you without interruptions or eavesdroppers." Cial said. "After all, until very recently I was on the same boat as you."

"Just for the record, we never held any ill will towards you." Phantom said, stepping a little closer.

"The whole Ice Queen act could be a pain in the ass, but I guess that's your way of doing things." Fefnir added.

"I… think I understand." Leviathan pondered. "You were… lonely up there, weren't you?"

"H-How do you figure?" Cial asked, taken aback.

"Cut off from your only family?" Leviathan pointed out. "Trying to keep something you believed in from falling apart? Realizing it was all pointless?"

"You too then..." Cial realized.

Leviathan's expression darkened, recognizing the parallels.

"I take it back, you probably weren't just lonely… but slipping into depression as well."

Cial said nothing.

"Your silence is enough of an answer." Leviathan said. "I understand how you feel. After all, we were no substitutes for your actual family… and even with these three around there were plenty of times when I didn't know what to do with myself."

Cial had expected one of many things before meeting the Four Guardians again. Indifference, disdain, possibly recriminations. She had, however, not expected this.

"I suppose you are correct." she finally said. "Perhaps I underestimated you. But I will deny everything if you speak of this to anyone else."

"There is no need for that." Phantom said. "We are the last people in a position to judge you or point fingers."

"And for the record…" he added, still recalling Alouette's teasing about his difficulties on the subject of expressing emotions. "It is... good to see you again."

"Perhaps that is better than what I deserve..." Cial remarked, getting a little misty eyed. "But if my mother were here she would probably tell me to just accept it."

"We have spent a considerable amount of time examining our actions..." Phantom mused. "We are still in the process of coming to terms with them, but it appears that we have all been swept into this… new dream."

"It would seem so." Cial said with a nod, once again showing the faintest hint of a smile. "My sister and the true X always had this way of drawing people to them… to make them believe. Which brings us to the second reason why I came to you in person."

"Do tell." Leviathan chimed in.

"Your old Master." Cial explained. "Your true Master, though he hates being called that. The new body is finally finished. I thought you would want to be present to witness the transfer."

"Much sooner than we anticipated..." Phantom remarked.

"My sister and her Chief Engineer are exceedingly good at their work." Cial said with a hint of pride seeping into her tone. "When they have some additional resources at their disposal and the time to work in a structured manner without interruptions..."

"I see." Phantom said with the faint hint of a smile of his own. "So I imagine this is your doing."

"I've gotta admit." Fefnir remarked. "I wouldn't have expected you to come here all the way for this."

"And… how are things in the settlement?" Leviathan hesitantly asked, still reluctant to go close after the previous incident.

"Making good progress." Cial said. "In fact, given how the last few meetings went, you should probably expect the others to come knocking soon."

"Still hoping we'll move in, are they?" Harpuia asked, still unsure what to think of the idea.

"Why not?" Cial asked rather bluntly. "If you four still want to safeguard the future, you'd be better off living where people are instead of this dusty old place."

"Now that's more like how I remember you." Fefnir remarked with a smirk that could have barely passed for a smile. "Determined."

"I do not make excuses, and I do not beat around the bush." Cial said with a shrug. "I suppose I am somewhat lacking in tact at times."

Fefnir snorted in response.

"What would that make me then?"

"A hothead and occasionally a dumbass?" Leviathan chimed in.

"At least I don't get my jollies-" Fefnir retorted.

"Let's not go there..." Harpuia cut him off, trying to avoid making their sister uncomfortable again.

"I appreciate your concern." Leviathan said, still calm and composed. "But I'm not as weak as… some of my displays suggest."

She then turned to Fefnir with a rather predatory grin.

"I'll try not to enjoy myself too much when I beat your ass for running your mouth."

"If you think your head's back in the game, bring it." Fefnir taunted.

Cial blinked and glanced at the Guardians one at a time, looking rather confused.

"What… just happened?" she wondered out loud.

"If you don't know, then you don't need to concern yourself with it." Harpuia said, looking rather uncomfortable… though feeling slightly relieved that Ciel and the others had stayed true to their word and not mentioned the incident to others.

"We do appreciate the visit and the opportunity to catch up." Phantom said, attempting to be diplomatic. "As for the invitation… we will consider it."

* * *

The next morning...

Ciel woke up early and after finishing her preparations she made her way to the workshop along with Alouette. To her surprise, she found Cial, Cerveau and Lune already waiting for them.

"You did not think we would miss this, did you?" Cial asked.

"Everything is ready." Lune added, giving Ciel and Alouette a conspiratorial wink.

"Oh..." Ciel realized. "You came in early to make sure you had time to hide it..."

Cerveau glanced outside through the window and pressed his index finger to his lips.

The Maverick Hunter trio stepped through the door a few moments later, with X looking excited and more than a little anxious.

"It's gonna be fine." Axl said encouragingly. "They're the best around at this kind of thing."

"No doubt about that." X said. "It's just that… it's been so long..."

"Relax." Lune said. "If anything goes wrong, you've got all the backup you need right here."

"You're right." X said, calming down a bit.

Lying on a metal table, covered in a blanket, his new body awaited, as if asleep. X took a moment to examine the fruit of months of work – practically identical to the original, clad in a black body glove much like Zero had taken to wearing under his armor a long time prior.

"We took the opportunity to make some improvements." Ciel explained. "Nothing too outrageous, but you should feel a little lighter and faster."

"If memory serves, you partially based it on Zero's current body, right?" X asked.

"Which in turn was based on your original." Zero remarked. "I guess it's official."

"Guess so." X said with a nod. "Brothers in spirit and now in form."

"It's a good thing human genealogy doesn't really apply to us, or things would get really weird really fast." Axl joked.

"Well..." X said. "Here goes nothing."

The others watched intently as he began the transfer. In a surge of energy, the modified Pantheon frame that had been serving as his temporary body froze in place and from it emerged the radiant orb of light X had shown himself as several times before.

A thought crossed Alouette's mind as she watched.

"_Did he become a Cyber Elf all those years ago… or is he an angel?"_

The radiant presence floated towards the chest of the inert new body and sank into it. Ciel checked the readings on the monitoring equipment.

"Here we go..." she said excitedly. "Fingers crossed."

As if a switch had been flipped, energy began coursing out of the new body's reactor and through its entire structure. The chest began to rise and fall much like a reflexive imitation of a human's breathing. The fingers and toes twitched slightly.

"X?" Zero called out.

X opened his new eyes and slowly sat up, pushing the sheet aside. He glanced around, looking at everyone in the building, then examined his right hand, tentatively wiggling his fingers.

"How are you feeling?" Ciel asked, a little anxious since he had remained silent.

"Like myself again." X said with a beaming smile.

He tried to stand, then took a couple of hesitant, wobbly steps before Zero rushed to grab him.

"You OK?" Zero asked.

"It's… going to take a while getting used to." X said. "But it's safe to say that everything will be all right."

Zero nodded and, after making sure he wasn't just going to fall down, released him and let him continue testing his legs. After a couple of minutes experimenting little by little, X managed to take a few steps with his old, firm stride.

"There we go." he said with a triumphant look on his face. "I missed being able to feel all of this."

"Good." Lune said.

"And now that you're finally back to a body you can call your own..." Ciel added with a smile.

"Surprise!" Alouette shouted, pulling a box out of a nearby storage closet.

"What's this?" X asked, caught by surprise.

"Take a seat." Cial said, heading to another nearby table and pulling the chair resting next to it slightly back while Alouette set the box down on the surface.

X glanced at each of them, then at Zero and Axl.

"Go on." Axl said with a grin. "It's rude to keep the ladies waiting."

X nodded and took the seat.

"Since your description of how that light feels was so specific..." Ciel explained as she edged closer.

"You gave us the perfect idea of what to get for your first meal in that new body." Lune added, approaching him as well.

"You didn't!" X gasped as Alouette lifted the lid of the box, revealing a plate with a large stack of honeyed pancakes, still steaming, along with a fork and knife and some napkins.

"We did." Alouette said with a beaming smile.

"Well then..." X said, eyeing the stack of pancakes with the look of a ravenous wolf on his face. "Since I haven't eaten in centuries, let me apologize in advance for any breach of etiquette."

"Oh please." Ciel retorted with a chuckle. "After seeing the way Axl eats, I doubt anything you do can shock me."

The others silently let X go through the surprise treat, with Alouette in particular watching his reaction expectantly.

"I could… get used to this..." he finally said after a while, with a beaming smile that left Alouette and Ciel exchanging triumphant grins.

Cial watched from a corner of the room, with her expression gradually softening.

"_There's nothing soulless about them..." _she thought as her newfound optimism and purpose clashed with the memories of the previous regime's actions.

Then she noticed something glistening in X's face.

"_Did something go wrong with the assembly?" _she thought worriedly.

Before she could say anything, however, Zero stepped up to X and patted his shoulder.

"I guess they're that tasty huh?"

X paused for a moment and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"They sure are." he managed to say, with his voice slightly cracking. "They taste like home."

The realization of what had just happened hit Cial like a punch to the gut. Before she could regain her composure, her body and mouth felt like they were moving on their own.

"Of course they do..." she said, covering the distance to place a hand on X's back, feeling something moist in her own eyes. "You are home."

"And don't you forget it." Ciel added, joining in to give X a proper hug now that he could finally feel it.

"What they said." Alouette chimed in, joining the hug.

"_For a guy who used to be so shy, he's sure getting all the attention from the ladies today."_ Zero thought, grinning like an idiot.

"_And me without my camera..." _Axl thought with a fond smile. _"C'mon old pal. Keep it together just a bit longer. Save some of that emotion for Alia."_

"Hmm..." Zero remarked, glancing around the room, specifically at everyone's faces. "I guess it's raining in here."

"I guess it is." Axl said with a nod, before wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"You were already back with us..." Cerveau remarked. "But it's damn good to see you back to how you were meant to be."

"It's good to be home..." X said. "Home and whole again."

Once everyone's emotions were a little more subdued and Ciel finished running some final tests to make sure that everything was working properly, she stepped up to the table and placed her hands on its surface.

"Once Phantom's new body is finished, there's something else I want to devote my time to." she said, finally articulating a thought she had been digesting ever since the discovery of the buried library and its trove.

"Oh?" X asked.

"Neo Arcadia was an abject failure." she said. "Now is the time for something else. Now is the time to start laying the foundations of... Neo Alexandria. Not a city or a nation, but rather a repository of knowledge, open to all."

"I like the sound of that." X said, looking as if that beaming smile might be permanently etched upon his new face.

"The past will not be forgotten." Ciel said resolutely. "Its lessons and the heritage of humanity will be preserved and spread to all. Beyond my energy production system, this will be my gift to the world. I won't waste the opportunity chance and those travelers gave me."

"_We should probably keep that temporary body somewhere safe, just in case." _Cial thought. _"But that can wait."_

* * *

Outside the workshop, the Four Guardians watched the scene through a window in awkward silence, torn between the desire to congratulate their idol and the awkward feeling of not belonging there.


	18. Tested

Chapter 18 – Tested

Sated with the first taste of food in over a century and with his heart nearly bursting with joy at both being in the company of such beloved friends and having regained his full physical faculties thanks to the new body, X stood up, looking absolutely elated.

"Everyone..." he said, struggling to find the words. "You've... showered me with overwhelming gifts since I gathered the courage to come back. I don't know what to say except… thank you."

Outside, the Four Guardians exchanged awkward glances, hesitant to interrupt what they felt was a moment meant for close friends and not the likes of them.

Cial spotted them through the corner of her eye and, taking a page from Axl's book – though she would never admit it – quietly excused herself and stepped outside just as Alouette was in the process of giving X a hug.

"So..." she said as she stared at the four. "Since you came all the way here, are you not going inside?"

"I… suppose that was what we came here for." Harpuia conceded.

"I'm still surprised you'd bother going to invite us in person." Fefnir added. "No offense."

"None taken." Cial replied flatly. "This is new ground for me as well."

Leviathan shifted uncomfortably and cast a hesitant glance at the window. Noticing this, Phantom turned to her.

"You do not have to do this." he said calmly, but with an unusual softness to his tone.

"But I do want to." she said, summoning her confidence. "I'm not a child. I need to get my act together if this collaboration thing is to work."

"What exactly is going on?" Cial asked, quirking an eyebrow. "You have been acting strangely ever since I visited."

"Not quite." Leviathan corrected. "Something else happened before. But this is between me and..."

"I will not pry." Cial retorted. "As long as it does not pose a potential threat to those around me, you can speak or not."

"It doesn't." Leviathan said with a sigh. "It's just… complicated."

She then stepped forward, once again with the dignified posture of her former rank.

"_I'm stronger than this. G__etting mad at either of them would be pointless__, but I can't let something like this make a mess of me."_

Gathering her will, she stepped through the door and bowed her head slightly before X.

"We are glad to see you back to full strength… Master."

Still in Alouette's grip, X turned his head to her.

"It's good to see you again." he said politely. "But I thought I'd..."

"Yes, you told us not to call you that." she recalled. "But I don't know what else to call you."

"I have a name, you know." X retorted.

"I couldn't possibly..." she stammered in an unusual display of shyness. "It wouldn't be proper."

"What have I told you about putting me or anyone on a pedestal?" X scolded. "Or bowing?"

"Of course." she said, lifting her head to look directly at him. "My apologies."

"You do seem to be back to full strength." Harpuia remarked as he stepped in as well. "I can already feel the difference in your presence."

"As expected, given who worked on crafting that body." Phantom added.

"No." X said, shaking his head. "I'm not at full strength just yet."

Seeing the confused looks on the Four Guardians' faces, he elaborated.

"All my old armors and special upgrade parts were lost or destroyed. It will take some time and effort to replace even the basic suit and I don't know how long I'd need to be able to replicate all my old weapons again."

"Correct me if I'm mistaken." Harpuia pointed out. "But… wasn't all the data lost? How would you do that then?"

"I did lose the data from the Variable Weapons System that was once physically stored in my body ." X said with a nod. "But this new body has the same system and I may be able to recreate them from memory… eventually."

"As we should have expected." Phantom remarked.

"You know..." Zero chimed in, turning to X. "I never really understood your reasoning for getting rid of that stuff - the weapon data, the suits and so on. You did say you didn't want to grow too powerful – that such a prospect scared you. But don't you think you should have kept them somewhere a little safer?"

"You know what they say about hindsight..." X said. "You're right though. Keeping them in that vault at Hunter HQ was not the best of ideas. That said, I do hope I won't need them again. As for the body itself, yes, it's perfect."

He glanced at Ciel again with a beaming smile.

"Once again, thank you. Not just for helping me feel alive again, but also for being such a good friend."

There was definitely a difference in X's presence – and in the way he seemed to be overflowing with joy. In fact, Phantom could swear that he was misty-eyed about something, but chose not to comment on it.

"Well then..." Phantom said after a long silence. "We did what we came here to do."

With that, he stepped outside.

"Be well." Harpuia added before following.

"Looks like things around here are getting more interesting." Fefnir said. "Looking forward to seeing what the real X can do now."

"We should be going." Leviathan said with a nod.

Though they seemed somewhat more relaxed since the previous incident, X could sense that they still felt out of place and did not insist further on his earlier offer.

"_They'll come around when they're ready. I'm sure of it."_ he thought as he watched them leave.

* * *

Outside, someone was standing, seemingly waiting for them. Despite the green Resistance uniforms making the soldiers blend together, this one stood with an intensity to his stare that set him apart as he gazed directly at Harpuia.

"I remember you." the Guardian said, stiffening in place. "Colbor, was it?"

"Do you also remember wiping out the rest of my squad then?" Colbor retorted, visibly tensing up.

Sensing the mood, Phantom quietly observed, not wanting to cause an incident but also unwilling to let his sibling come to harm.

"I do." Harpuia said with a somber expression. "And every single one before and after that."

"Ciel and the others may have decided to reconcile with you..." Colbor said, clenching his fists. "But I need to know one thing."

"Oh?" Harpuia asked.

Fefnir and Leviathan had lagged slightly behind and stepped closer just in time to witness the rest of the exchange.

"Did you actually feel any shred of remorse when you cut your own people down like animals?" Colbor asked, baring his teeth.

"_And there it is..."_ Phantom thought. _"It was only a matter of time until we were confronted with our choices."_

Leviathan and Fefnir exchanged glances.

"_I suppose we all deserve that..."_ Leviathan thought.

"_So this is Colbor."_ Fefnir thought. _"He's got guts, walking up to Sage and just asking something like that."_

Sensing the tension in the air, Harpuia took one step forward and nodded, recalling the scared face of the quivering soldier during their first encounter.

"I did." he admitted after a tense pause. "But I doubt my words will mean anything."

"I still want to hear it anyway." Colbor retorted. "What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking about what I thought to be the greater good." Harpuia recalled. "About how finishing off enemy soldiers with a clean blow was preferable to what some others might have done… would likely have done."

"You..." Colbor hissed, clenching his fists. "You had no right. It was war, but they deserved better."

"They did." Harpuia said, catching him off guard. "We thought we could safeguard the future by following orders, but we failed in our purpose the moment we took up arms against the innocent."

Colbor froze in place, unsure what to say. His anger appeared to have subsided, but only slightly, leaving him struggling for words.

"I make no excuses." Harpuia added. "We were in the wrong. All we can do now in the way of restitution is lend our skills to the ones who are truly working for a better future... unless you want to take your vengeance here and now."

Leviathan and Fefnir exchanged perplexed glances. Though they understood his intent and shared his remorse, they silently wondered if he wasn't taking things a little too far.

"I did think what I might do if I ever came face to face with you again." Colbor admitted with a bitter scowl. "Most of the Resistance soldiers couldn't keep up with you four and a lot of them were absolutely terrified of you."

Harpuia stayed silent, letting him pour everything out.

"As for me..." Colbor continued, tensing up even more. "I was scared out of my wits after you decimated my squad. I would have joined them if Zero hadn't shown up just in the nick of time. After I made it back, I didn't know what to do with myself for a while… until the anger took hold."

"_And here we go..." _Phantom thought, silently dreading what was to come.

"You cut them down without a second thought." Colbor said, staring directly at Harpuia. "But I was the one who led them to their deaths. I guess it's on both of us. Which got me thinking… Even if I didn't survive the attempt, maybe taking you down would make it up to them."

"Colbor, what are you doing?!" Alouette intervened, having noticed the five standing outside and decided to check what was going on.

Spotting her, the Resistance soldier sighed.

"You weren't supposed to be here. I didn't want to get you involved in this."

"You haven't answered my question." she insisted, interposing herself between him and the Guardians. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to put the past to rest." he said somberly.

"If you want to make good on all that, go ahead." Harpuia said evenly. "Just get it over with, but not in front of the child."

"Stop it, both of you!" Alouette protested.

"_Why is she…?"_ Leviathan thought, surprised by her reaction.

"I'm not finished." Colbor said, at this point shaking slightly and looking exhausted. "A few months ago, before Ragnarok and the rest that happened since then, I might have tried to seize the opportunity. But this… here… is pointless. I guess I'll just have to wait and see if you've actually changed."

With that, he turned to leave. Alouette watched him go, saddened to see that he was still suffering, but relieved that he had not done anything reckless.

"Hold on." Leviathan suddenly said, stepping forward.

"What?" Colbor asked, stopping his stride but not looking at her.

"So you're Colbor." she said as she circled around him to look at him face to face. "Considering our history, you've got guts walking up to the four of us like that."

"I don't care what you might have done to me." he retorted flatly. "I know that to the four of you, the rest of us probably seem like insects in comparison."

"We are not the monsters some people think we are… but we probably deserve to be seen as such." she admitted. "Still, I have to recognize your courage."

"Are you mocking me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean it." she said, surprisingly calm.

Inside, X paused and glanced around.

"Where did Alouette go?"

Ciel's gaze crossed one of the windows and she tensed up.

"She's outside, with those four… but what's Colbor doing there?"

Concerned, X got up and moved in to check what was happening, making it outside just in time to hear Leviathan speak again.

"Things were not supposed to turn out this way..." she said with a look of genuine regret. "You have every right to hate us and I won't blame you for it."

Colbor let out a deep sigh and took a long look at her face.

"I suppose you're not the only ones who did something wrong thinking you were right. I don't even know what I feel anymore. I just want it to stop."

"That makes two of us." she said earnestly, surprising him again. "Or five. Or who knows how many."

"Most of us didn't start out as soldiers." Colbor recalled. "We were just average people until our own government decided we were the enemy."

"A result of my failure." X said as he stepped into view, unable to stay silent any longer. "I failed to take into account what would happen once I was incapacitated."

"No." Alouette interjected, unusually heated. "No more! I've had enough with everyone blaming themselves."

This caught everyone's attention, and their gazes fixated on the small Reploid girl.

"It would seem that in some ways this child is the wisest among us." Phantom remarked with the faintest hint of a smile.

"And you, mister." Alouette said, staring at Colbor. "I know you were hurt. We all were. But it's not good to keep those things inside."

"I guess not..." Colbor conceded.

"So if those things are bothering you, come talk to one of us." she added with one of her endearing smiles. "Please."

"I don't want to be a burden on anyone." Colbor said hesitantly.

"Nonsense." X protested. "The only way we're all going to move forward is by leaning on each other."

"I suppose that's what got us through this in the first place..." Colbor conceded. "That and having the right people in charge. Sorry you had to see this X."

"Better to let it out now than let it fester inside." X said. "But are you going to be all right?"

"Now that I've stared them down and said my piece… I suppose so." Colbor said, looking exhausted by the outpouring. "But now I need to rest my head."

With that, he turned to leave.

"By the way..." he added, looking over his shoulder. "It's good to see you back in a worthy body."

The tired Resistance soldier then continued on his way.

Once he was out of earshot, Harpuia turned to X.

"There will be more like him out there, and not all of them may be willing to end things peacefully."

"I know." X said. "But we'll deal with it one day at a time."

"This is why we were reluctant to approach the settlement." Harpuia said. "Not to mention the prospect of tainting all of your images by association."

"Don't be ridiculous." X scolded. "Yes, you've made poor choices in the past, but you did the right thing eventually and you saved lives before the end."

"It's gonna take time, but you have people willing to accept you." Alouette chimed in.

Surprised yet again, Leviathan turned to the small Reploid girl.

"Why?"

"Because even good people make mistakes." she said.

By this point Zero, the twins and Lune had also realized what was happening outside and were silently listening from a distance.

"We can hardly call ourselves good people after what we did." Leviathan bitterly retorted.

"But do you want to be?" Alouette countered, completely unfazed.

"Very few people choose evil willingly, kid." Fefnir said. "Your point?"

"I know I'm still a kid." Alouette said. "I don't understand everything yet and sometimes Zero says my thinking is too simplistic. But in this case I think the grownups are complicating things too much."

"What do you mean?" Leviathan asked.

"All of us have been hurt." Alouette said, staring right at her. "Plenty of us have hurt each other. I'm not gonna forget what happened, but I don't wanna be stuck in the past. That's not gonna solve anything."

"How does a kid like you still exist in this day and age?" Fefnir asked, genuinely surprised at her willingness to forgive and to get others to forgive themselves, which she had displayed since their first encounter.

"I had good people to set an example." Alouette said. "Most of us used to be scared of you four, especially the ones who managed to get away from you. I'm not. Not anymore."

"And why is that?" Harpuia asked.

"Because as much as you try to pretend it's not true, you're people too." she said, staring right at him.

This was too much for Leviathan to bear. She was completely disarmed by the small girl's earnest acceptance and could not put together a rebuttal. By the look on Harpuia's face, he seemed to be just as floored. As for Fefnir, usually the loudest of the four, he stayed quiet as a mouse, staring at Alouette as if he did not know what he was looking at.

"_The Four Guardians, humbled by a little girl..."_ Phantom thought with the slightest hint of amusement.

With a perplexed look on his face, he spoke his piece.

"I have no idea what we may have done to give you such expectations..." he hesitantly said, his words measured as usual, but the tone unusually unsteady. "But I suppose you leave us little choice but to try to live up to them."

"_She does have that effect on people..." _Zero mused. _"Just like Ciel."_

"Good." Alouette said with a sudden smile. "I can't promise everyone else is gonna accept you, but at least the pointless fighting is over. Now how about we get on with life?"

"That sounds… nice." Fefnir said, finding himself at a loss for words for once in his life.

"And if anyone has a problem with it, they can just talk to me." Alouette added with a self-assured smile.

"What?" Fefnir asked, struggling to believe his ears.

"You know if you keep that up, people might just accuse us of hiding behind you or planting ideas in your head." Phantom pointed out.

"So you do care." she retorted with an amused smirk. "I knew it."

"You still can't prove anything." Phantom countered, back to his usual deadpan tone.

At this point, it had become an unspoken game between the two – her looking for cracks in his shell, and him vehemently denying everything. While it might have annoyed him coming from anyone else, her endearing ways were having an effect on him, and he understood how she had so easily captivated Zero to the point of unilaterally adopting him. It seemed that his siblings were not immune to her either.

Fefnir and Leviathan exchanged glances and despite the emotional charge of the entire situation, or perhaps because of it, found themselves snorting.

"What's so funny?" Harpuia asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"After all the shit we pulled-" Fefnir began to say before Alouette cut him off.

"Language!" she scolded, wagging her finger at him.

"How the mighty have fallen..." Fefnir scoffed. "And you know what? I don't mind it that much. You're a good kid."

"From the mouths of children and fools, as they say, the truth comes out." Phantom remarked.

"Does that mean you're finally going to start being reasonable?" Alouette asked with a hopeful smile.

"You've given us a lot to think about..." Harpuia hesitantly said.

"We're definitely not gonna be much good to anyone sulking in that old place..." Fefnir conceded.

"But for now, we need to rest our heads." Leviathan added.

With that, the Four Guardians exchanged glances and began walking away.

"It's too soon to make any promises, but..." Harpuia said in lieu of a farewell. "We'll be in touch."

Zero waited for them to be out of earshot and then stepped into view.

"You're full of surprises." he remarked, looking at Alouette. "When did you grow up so much?"

"It happens when you have the right people around you." she said with a smile. "I'm just tired of people being sad."

"Then let's put an end to that." Zero said, managing to smile as well as he picked her up and caught her in a hug. "For good."

Ciel beamed with pride at what she had just witnessed.

"_She's growing up so fast..."_ she thought with a smile._ "I hope I can keep up."_

Next to her, X and Lune shared the sentiment, while Cial was almost as perplexed as the Guardians.

"_Is that girl for real?" _the former Head Administrator silently wondered. _"I guess more of Ciel has rubbed off on her than I thought… but she doesn't necessarily have the wrong idea."_

She then glanced at X and Ciel.

"_You two have spent far too much time blaming yourselves for what went wrong… and maybe I'm guilty of the same. It's going to take a while for me to learn to accept myself, but… I could get used to this life."_

After a proper day of celebration, including a tiny sip from a stash of very old wine Andrew saved for special occasions, X and Zero headed for the shack they had been sharing.

"You know..." Zero remarked. "Now that you're back to your old self, I guess we should start thinking about some home improvement."

"Practicing for that thing you promised Ciel?" X asked with a knowing smile.

"Maybe..." Zero retorted with the slightest hint of crimson creeping upon his cheeks. "But on a more immediate note, the winter isn't too far off."

Zero too had changed. From amnesiac to aloof to raw and vulnerable to soothed. Slowly but surely, he had managed to come to terms with the past, helped by the presence of his old friends. He knew he still had some work ahead in dealing with the surge of new emotions, but, just like X, he had the feeling that in the end all would be well.

"True..." X conceded. "We can't get sick like humans do, but there's no reason not to make ourselves a little more comfortable."

"Speaking of which..." Lune chimed in as she walked towards them with a bundle. "I thought you'd feel more comfortable if you had some more clothing options besides the body glove or Resistance uniforms."

"I do suppose covering yourself up a bit more will keep the ladies from… getting distracted." Zero teased with a grin.

"Quiet, you." X retorted with a scoff, before lightly bonking Zero over the head with his knuckles.

"Unless that's part of the plan." Zero added, still grinning. "You could just go around wearing the body glove, striking some poses and making some speeches about your hand glowing."

"You've been spending too much time with Axl." X said with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Oh Zero, Zero..." Lune said with an amused smirk. "That won't do. He needs to find Alia first and get her to wear a red dress."

"I would have expected that from him or Axl..." X remarked, suddenly flustered. "Not from you."

"What can I say?" Axl chimed in, suddenly coming in from behind X. "The lady has good taste."

Startled, X nearly jumped.

"I can see what Cial meant earlier..." he remarked, leering at Axl.

"I still haven't figured out how he does that." Lune said. "Scared the crap out of me a couple of times before he learned to knock it off."

"I'd rather take my chances with Omega than make you mad, Lady." Axl said with his usual cheeky grin.

Zero quirked an eyebrow at the remark, wondering what the woman could possibly have done to actually scare such an incorrigible prankster. By this point he had known her long enough to be aware that, much like Ciel, she concealed considerable strength of character underneath the soft face.

"Still..." X pondered.

X closed his eyes for a moment and a wistful smile appeared on his face.

"I did get to see her in a dress a couple of times though…" he reminisced, thinking of days long gone. "Beautiful. If I'd known what was going to happen down the line I would have said something to her sooner."

"Not gonna lie." Zero remarked. "You did drop the ball on that one. But if that weird kid was right and she's still out there, then you'd better find her."

"And when you do..." Lune added with a smile as she pressed the bundle into X's hands. "You'll be properly dressed."

"What exactly is this?" X asked as he opened his eyes.

Feeling Lune's expectant gaze upon him, he unwrapped it… finding an elegant blue tunic very similar to the one he had once worn in his incorporeal form, along with a pair of matching gloves and boots.

"You didn't..." he said, feeling both flattered and a little embarrassed that she would go through all that trouble for his sake.

"I had some help." Lune said with a smile. "But I did. It's going to take some time to put a proper suit of armor together for you, but I get the feeling you'd feel more comfortable wearing something like this."

"I… don't know what to say..." X stammered. "Thank you."

"Don't be silly." Lune retorted before giving him a quick hug. "Isn't that what family is for?"

"Looks like I'm not the only one getting slapped with surprise unilateral adoptions." Zero remarked with a grin before patting X's back. "C'mon! Aren't you gonna try it on?"

"I should." X said with a smile. "Be right back."

With that, he ran into the shack and closed the door behind him. A few moments later he stepped back out, clad in his new garments.

"Well?" Lune asked expectantly.

"I think… I could get used to this." X said, his voice heavy with emotion. "Once again, thank you."

Zero watched with an amused smirk as Lune hugged his old friend once again, but before he could comment on it, she reached with one arm and pulled him in as well.

"So you don't get jealous..." she teased.

"Seriously though..." she added with a smile very similar to Ciel's own. "I can't thank both of you enough… for everything you've done and for taking care of my little girl while I was away."

Alouette picked that exact moment to walk by, with Croire on her shoulder.

"There you are!" she said excitedly.

"And what were you two up to?" Lune asked, crouching to look at her face to face.

"Just showing Croire how things have been growing." Alouette explained. "We've been talking about going to school together too."

"Really now?" Zero asked in a light-hearted tone. "I thought kids were supposed to hate school."

"Not me." Alouette said proudly, puffing her chest. "So much to learn! So many friends! One day I'm gonna help Big Sis and Grandma in the lab, so I gotta be ready!"

The look of delight on Lune's face was so intense the older scientist was practically glowing.

"_Looks like not even she is immune."_ Zero noted, watching Lune place a hand on her chest.

X, on the other hand, recalled the old picture he had seen of his creator and siblings… and the conversation he'd had with Ciel at the time.

"_If that copy hadn't turned out like he did… maybe they would have been able to live in peace, like siblings..."_

While he had been just as angry as Ciel about Copy X's misdeeds, another feeling was beginning to surpass that. Grief. For better or for worse, the imperfect Reploid had been a thinking creature as well, and his fate a tragic reminder that all of them – organic and synthetic – carried the potential for both good and evil.

"By the way, how are you feeling now X?" Alouette asked with one of her disarming smiles, breaking him out of his musings.

"Like I've been given new life." he said, before patting her head. "And you?"

"Happy to see everyone getting better." she said. "You guys are the best family a little girl could ask for."

It was X's turn to shudder then, feeling her expressive eyes upon him and getting to see that smile up close.

"I guess we just have to keep trying our best." he said. "For your sake and everyone else's."

By this point, it was clear to X that Alouette had this effect on everyone around didn't know exactly how or why, or even if she was aware of it, but it was comforting to know that her past bad experiences hadn't soured her.

"_I __guess she doesn't need that strange power to be a bright spot in people's lives."_ he mused with a fond smile._ "Like Phantom said, __sometimes we need a child to speak their honest mind and give us the raw truth. Don't ever change."_

His thoughts then turned to the subject of family, namely the siblings he'd never had the chance to know.

"_I wonder if Rock had to deal with this kind of stuff in his day… I'll have to ask him when I find him."_

* * *

A few more weeks passed.

While X and Zero invested some time and effort in making their accommodations more comfortable, Ciel eventually got started on Phantom's replacement body as she had promised. Thanks to her sister's organizational skills and the extra tools and resources on hand she estimated it would be finished in less time than X's.

The days had grown noticeably shorter and while Zero continued to enjoy his walks, he was finding it more difficult to find fruits and berries to leave in Ciel's fridge. After all of Axl's remarks about not having a camera handy, however, an idea had dawned upon him. With a little help from Cerveau, he had managed to get an old camera back in working condition and begun taking pictures of the wilderness and then the settlement, documenting daily life in between bouts of home improvement work.

One day, while they were taking a break…

"You definitely have a talent for this..." X remarked as he browsed some of the collection on one of Ciel's computers.

"Sitting around watching those old shows is nice and all, but I think we could all do with a few more hobbies." Zero said. "Ever thought about giving it a try?"

"Maybe..." X mused. "To be honest, there are a few more things I'd like to try."

"Like what?"

"Like I mentioned before, maybe become a scientist one day… or a doctor."

"That definitely sounds like you… but I'm not sure if you'd have the emotional detachment to deal with some of the worse stuff." Zero pondered.

Then a random thought crossed his mind and he grinned.

"That said, Dr. X sounds like a lame cartoon supervillain name."

"I guess I could think up something a little more fitting..." X mused.

"Why not call yourself Dr. Light?" Zero suggested.

"Dr. Light was my father." X said, shaking his head. "I have a ways to go before I earn the right to call myself that. But if I had to pick a human name… maybe… Xavier?"

"Does that mean you're gonna shave your head and start going around in a flying chair?" Axl quipped, lying on the couch belly up and in the middle of reading an old comic book, likely taken from the library collection.

"Just… how many of those have you been reading?" Zero asked, turning his attention to him.

"Just how many haven't I been reading?" Axl retorted.

Another morning came and Zero found himself walking across the street in front of Ciel's house. He hadn't even given it any conscious thought, but it seemed that sooner or later his feet carried him in that direction.

"Good to see you." Ciel said, fresh from a good night's sleep and a filling breakfast.

"Same." he replied. "And where are you heading today?"

"Taking care of a few things here and there." she said with a smile. "Mostly just checking out on the expansion progress and speaking to the first batch of Cerveau's apprentices."

After some procrastinating and hesitation, Cial had finally put her foot down and convinced the Chief Engineer to set the plan in motion, picking a handful of people from the Resistance and the general population with the interest and aptitude to receive dedicated training.

"Let me know if you need anything then." Zero offered, feeling a soft warmth in his chest from seeing her so energized and happy.

"Count on it." she said, before surprising him with a quick hug.

"I did say anything..." he conceded, returning the gesture without hesitation.

"For now, we'll stick to your plan." she added in a hushed tone with a mischievous smile. "No need to rush. But just to help me stay motivated..."

With that, she got on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek, leaving him in stunned silence as she got back on her way with a spring in her step.

He watched her go, feeling a slight rush of heat to his face, and then, sensing a presence, he glanced at the door to her house to find Lune watching him.

"You know..." Zero remarked. "You've been surprisingly calm and accepting about all of this..."

"It would be hypocritical of me to treat my little girls like children when their intellect is beyond many adults and they are taking on adult responsibilities..." Lune noted. "That said, I'm still watching."

"Just so we're clear..." Zero said, visibly uncomfortable but feeling the need to address the issue. "I've been around for a very long time. I know people change, and so do their priorities, but she's still a teenage girl. She needs time to finish finish growing, maturing, figuring out what to do with herself."

"Once again, I see the so-called legend left out many important parts." Lune remarked with an earnest smile. "Like you having a good head on your shoulders and being a gentleman."

"I try. I made my share of mistakes and bad choices in the past… mostly because I was oblivious or too focused on duty. I paid the price for that."

"Are you talking about Iris?" Lune asked with a sympathetic look, by this point already being somewhat familiar with his personal history.

"Among other things." he said with a nod.

"Yes, being unable to save her was my greatest failure." Zero recalled with a somber look on his face. "But there were others before and after her who leaned on me for support… or wanted to… and I couldn't do anything for them. Before Iris, I was focused on dealing with the Maverick pests and helping X find his way in the world. After her… I just couldn't even think about letting anyone get that close again."

"I know a thing or two about loss, so I understand how you feel." Lune said with a sigh. "But considering that you've been around for centuries, it stands to reason that you'd have picked up a bigger pile of sorrows than most of us."

"Yes, but I've also met many great people." Zero said with a timid smile. "People who will always be a part of me, even if I lose my memory again. People… who make it all worth it."

"I can definitely see why the ladies can't keep their eyes off of you." Lune remarked with a fond smile. "I wonder how many more in my family are going to fall prey to those charms."

It was then that a thought crossed Zero's mind.

"You know… I hadn't given this much thought before, but I know how important it is for some humans to leave descendants."

"Yes…" Lune said, before her expression darkened somewhat as her thoughts turned to someone else. "And there are few things as terrible as outliving one's own children."

"Doesn't it bother you then?" Zero asked. "That if Ciel eventually goes through with this when she's old enough..."

"It's just something I'll have to accept." Lune said with a shrug. "I'd be lying if I hadn't thought about that now and again, but her happiness is more important than some arbitrary notion of continuity."

"Besides..." she added. "Alouette is just adorable. Having her around makes me feel like an actual grandma."

"She is." Zero admitted with a grin. "Dangerously adorable. There's something about the say she and Ciel smile that makes it hard to keep a coherent train of thought… but don't tell them I said that."

"Cial used to be like that too… before she started shutting others away." Lune reminisced. "Having the three of us back together, I think I'm beginning to see some glimpses of her old self."

"No kidding. She almost reminds me of Phantom." Zero realized. "Actually..."

"I don't think it was intentional." Lune mused, guessing what he was thinking. "The minute variations in a Reploid's personality core at the subatomic level… along with their personal experiences… Those things allow their personalities to develop own their own unless someone pre-installs a specific template."

"And Ciel would never have done something like that." Zero noted, before another random thought crossed his mind. "But I wonder… If she created them, what does that make them in relation to her? And if I end up together with her, what would that make me?"

"Best not to think too much about such things." Lune said with a soft laugh. "Axl is right when he says you shouldn't apply human genealogy to Reploids."

"Right." Zero said with a nod. "I guess I'd never really given the subject of family that much thought before. But Axl does make some good points… when he's not running his mouth."

"You've known him much longer than I have, but I'm sure you've noticed how he keeps wearing a clown's mask to cope with his own pain."

"Right… and I hope one day he'll find his own kind of peace." Zero said. "He can be a bit of a dumbass, but he's like family too."

"He'll probably just laugh it off or deflect it with a stupid joke if you ask him about it..." Lune said. "But he definitely put a lot of work into figuring out where you were sealed and getting that information to the right people. I think he missed you and X more than he can put into words."

"I… can believe that." Zero said with a nod. "He's a handful and loves acting like a kid, but he's got a big heart and has always been there when it counted. His sense of humor can be a bit grating, but I suppose we should be worried when he does start acting seriously."

"I got to know him a bit during our time in the Resistance." Lune recalled. "He always knew how to make me laugh, even if I had to give him the occasional ear twist. When it was time to play soldier though, he was surprisingly good at it."

"Did you know who he was back then?"

"Not at first… but he did entrust me with his secret eventually." Lune reminisced. "I think apart from you, X and the girls, I may be one of the few people he's shown his true self to."

* * *

The next morning...

The duo had spent a considerable amount of time and effort installing additional padding in the walls for thermal insulation, setting up a heating system and cobbling up a little more furniture to make the shack closer to a proper home. With the home improvement project completed for the time being, X turned his attention to other matters.

Zero stepped into the shack and found X busy with an unusual activity.

"I suppose it's time to finally get around to doing what I've been talking about..." X mused as he packed some supplies on the biggest backpack he had been able to find.

"You mean..." Zero said.

"Yes." X confirmed with a nod. "Time to go out there in search of answers."

"Want me to tag along?"

"I appreciate it, but you're needed here."

Zero couldn't help noticing that his old partner looked a little giddy… and more than a little anxious.

"You OK?" he asked with a concerned frown.

"Just… nervous, I guess." X said, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath. "The boy did say they were still out there somewhere, but… there's so much I still don't know or understand."

"Are you sure you don't need more time?"

"I've been putting this off long enough." X retorted, shaking his head.

The truth of the matter was, more than not finding anything, he had for a long time been afraid of what he might find. The boy's words had fueled his determination, and he did not want to lose momentum.

* * *

Meanwhile, in front of the crater where Neo Arcadia had once stood…

"I thought I'd find you here." Ciel said as she walked up to the figure gazing over the edge. "How's the soul searching going?"

Thaddeus looked over his shoulder and sighed.

"No matter how much I wander around, it seems I always end up back here..."

"I guess I'm not the only one who was having trouble letting go of what happened back then." Ciel remarked as she walked up and then stood next to him.

"After losing his mother to a random stupid illness, I tried my best to raise him properly." he reminisced. "Your mother helped a lot, since by that point she already had some experience with the two of you."

"Is that part of the reason why you set up that project?"

"I suppose. Gathering fifty of the brightest children in the same place seemed like a good way of fostering their talents… and including him in it seemed like an opportunity to help him break out of his shell."

"I remember how he was back then." Ciel said with a nod. "So quiet and withdrawn, always with a book in one hand and that action figure close by. Actually... I wonder what happened to it."

"When your mother got involved with the Resistance she asked me to store some keepsakes in a safe location outside the city. Some of his things may still be there. I guess I forgot to mention that with everything that's happened since, but she should still have the key."

"I kept blaming myself for what happened, you know." Ciel said. "And for what I did in response."

"And I kept blaming myself for having set the whole project up in the first place." he said in turn.

"I guess it's time for both of us to stop." Ciel said with a determined look on her face. "Until recently, I would still randomly have nightmares. About him, that day and that accursed copy. No more."

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked with a concerned frown.

"Maybe because I didn't want to worry you or my mother." Ciel said. "Or to avoid adding to your misplaced guilt… not that I'm one to talk."

"You're far too young to be carrying so many burdens and regrets." Thaddeus lamented.

"You're not that old yet, so why is it acceptable for you to carry them?" she countered.

"I suppose you have a point." he conceded with a sigh. "I had that very same argument with your mother many times. I was so depressed after that day she probably saved my life with her kindness and support."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I have no idea..." he admitted with a shrug.

"In that case, I have an offer you might be interested in." Ciel said with a smile, as if expecting that answer.

"Oh?"

"While you were away, we stumbled upon an ancient library, stuffed with all kinds of works in print and digital format. We're still sorting through it all, but it's massive. We need to make sure it's properly preserved, copied and spread to all so it doesn't get lost again. History, culture, science. Our heritage."

"You never did settle for small projects." he remarked, showing the faint hint of a smile. "Does this one have a name yet?"

"I was thinking about… Neo Alexandria."

"I see what you did there." Thaddeus said, now smiling openly. "I suppose my skills might be of use for that. I wasn't much of a teacher, but before this whole mess I was a scholar… and a scientist like your mother."

"Is that a yes then?" Ciel asked with a hopeful smile.

"Like I told your sister..." Thaddeus said before patting her head. "I am not your father… but I'll be glad to see how far you can take all of this. My boy may no longer be among us, but I'm sure he'd be proud of you both."

"In that case, can you promise me something?" she asked.

"What?"

"Promise you won't just run off on your own again or shut everyone else out?"

"That… I can do." he said with a nod. "We have to put an end to these self-destructive habits."

"I'm glad." Ciel said, her eyes lighting up with the anticipation of new plans, new goals and new dreams. "Enough guilt then. Eyes on tomorrow, like you said to me before."

"And so the student becomes the teacher..." he noted.

"_Even if I were your actual father, I couldn't possibly be any prouder __of you__."_ the tired scientist thought, feeling the first hints of genuine excitement at the prospect of a new project since the day his dreams had been taken away from him.

* * *

Three weeks later…

Standing atop one of the watchtowers, Zero was attempting to fight off his boredom by glancing around with a pair of binoculars when he spotted a familiar figure walking towards the settlement, his travel cloak covered in dust and mud.

X looked tired, and by the look of defeat and frustration on his face, Zero deduced things had not gone very well. Zero sighed and jumped off the observation platform, then rushed to meet him.

"Nothing…" X lamented once they were face to face. "There's just too much ground to cover and the landscape has changed so much some of the old maps are useless. Or maybe I just didn't dig deep enough..."

Seeing the look on his old friend's face up close bothered Zero. Before anything else could be said, he placed a firm hand on X's shoulder.

"X, breathe. It's a big world and we don't have half the tools we had back in the day."

"He's right." Axl chimed in, once again seemingly out of nowhere. "We can't exactly run satellite scans without a working satellite and we don't have any heavy duty digging gear lying around. But don't give up. I just know you're gonna find them."

"I have to keep believing." X said with a nod. "But right now I need to rest my head and sort through this new information tomorrow. Maybe I'm still missing some pieces of this puzzle, but I'm not giving up."

* * *

The next morning, X went out for a stroll outside the settlement, when he found an increasingly familiar armored figure, this time lying belly up on a large rock, seemingly oblivious to his presence.

"I was wondering when you'd show up again." X remarked.

To his surprise, the man did not reply. Intrigued, X stepped closer.

"Hello?" he called out, waving a hand in front of the black visor.

The armored figure stayed silent and still.

Though X barely knew the stranger, his natural empathy still kicked in and he edged closer with a concerned frown. As he tried to check if the armored figure was still breathing, he heard a low noise coming from inside the suit of armor.

"_Is he… snoring?"_ X thought, a little dumbfounded.

He nearly jumped back in a start when the man's head suddenly moved, turning to look at him.

"Oh… hello there."

"Strange place for a nap." X remarked. "Do you ever take that thing off anyway? It must get a bit cramped and stuffy in there."

"On the contrary." the armored man said, lazily stretching his limbs. "Sometimes I think the suit may be a little too comfortable..."

"Is that why you never show up without it?" X asked, a little surprised to hear him speak so casually after the previous encounters.

"I have my reasons."

"Come to think of it, you did mention something about finding yourself before..."

"Something like that." the man said, before letting out a low yawn.

"So, what brings you here anyway?"

"The Lady thought I should take some time off… stretch my legs a bit." the armored man said, sounding a little annoyed.

"You don't sound too thrilled about it." X pointed out.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I like this place. It's just… complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"I hate talking about myself, but… I suppose I can give you a little background. You're the kind of person I find easy to trust… and not simply because of the abilities we share."

"I suppose a story or two may help me take my mind off other things..." X conceded, still trying to understand the stranger and process all the strange things that had happened since their first encounter.

The armored man sat up on the rock and rested the chin of his helmet on his armored right hand, bringing a strange golden ring into view on the middle finger, decorated with a crest in the shape of an open hand over a sunburst.

"Imagine then… that you had the ability to travel between worlds, between universes. Imagine that all these infinite infinities were open for you to explore. What would you do?"

"Honestly?" X pondered. "I'm not sure what I'd do with that ability. I have so much to do here..."

"In your case, I dare say it's because you have strong attachments." the armored man mused. "But imagine if you had awakened here, and discovered that this world had moved on without you? That… perhaps everything you knew was gone?"

"Is that what happened to you?" X asked.

"No. In my case, I simply had no attachments to my point of origin."

"Where did you come from anyway?"

"Another Earth. One bereft of the faintest spark of potential. A mundane, shallow place that smothered hope, creativity and drive, where people led shallow, distracted lives."

"Just how many… other Earths are there anyway?" X wondered.

"Infinite, as far as I know." the armored figure said with a shrug. "Infinite Earths, infinite worlds, infinite universes. Infinite infinities, you might say."

The notion made X feel tiny, like a grain of sand. He pondered the implications for a moment, before speaking again.

"Even if that's true, it doesn't make what we're doing here any less important." he concluded. "The fact that we exist, here and now, has value in itself."

"I like to think so as well." the armored man said. "But it does make one feel rather insignificant at times."

"Is that why you keep jumping from place to place?" X wondered. "Because what's out there is so vast?"

"I suppose part of it is adventure's call." the armored man mused. "The desire to see as much as I can… and play my small part in leaving those places a little better than when I found them."

"How do you even… do that? Is that another ability of a Warrior of Light?"

"No." the man said, shaking his head. "There are some abilities that can protect those with our gifts during the journey, or make it more convenient, but in my case it was a little different."

"Oh?"

"The first step was freeing the mind. The power of dreams enabled me to cross over in a limited fashion… project tiny portions of myself. I first discovered this ability by accident when I was… maybe five years old?"

"The… power of dreams?" X asked. "Do you mean literal or figurative?"

"Yes." the man retorted, rather deadpan, before letting out a light scoff. "Sorry, I've always wanted to say that. The truth is, both. I used the tiny spark of hope that world had not yet taken from me and was able to teach myself to enter a trance state not too different from lucid dreaming. Eventually, I figured out how to pass through completely, body and mind… and I never looked back."

"This all sounds pretty outlandish..." X pondered. "Then again, I have the burning in my chest and a talking piece of crystal as proof that this isn't all some elaborate dream or one of Axl's pranks."

He struggled to imagine such a life, but still the stranger piqued his curiosity.

"Just… how long have you been doing that?" X asked.

"I don't even know anymore." the armored man said with a shrug. "You see, time flows differently between most universes. To me, it's been around two or three years since the last time we met. Maybe a little more."

"What did you mean earlier anyway?" X asked, recalling their previous conversation. "About the truth of your existence?"

"I guess to a point, I'm looking for what most people find sooner or later. Meaning. But there's something else."

"Such as?"

"When I first learned of other parallel universes, at first I simply sought adventure and new horizons." the armored man reminisced. "Eventually, I visited other Earths… and realized that for whatever reason I could never find anything resembling another me. I guess you could say I'm an anomaly. An intruder no matter the continuum. Among other things, I'm trying to find out why."

"You mean there could potentially be parallel versions of all of us out there somewhere?" X pondered. "Food for thought."

"Yes…" the man said, for a moment sounding tired and a little downcast. "And perhaps the reason why I feel this restlessness, this detachment is… because I don't truly belong anywhere."

"I don't know what to say." X said. "I spent so much time cut off from the world, and then barely able to interact with it. I guess I can related to that feeling in a way."

"And yet you clawed your way back." the man noted. "People like you never stay down for good. I would know."

"Does this have something to do with that power we have in common?"

"Yes… and no." the armored man said. "Even without it, I believe the end result would have been the same in your case. Of course that power does stem from who you are."

With that, he sat up and looked straight at X through his black visor.

"Your attachment to this world and its people is strong." the armored man reiterated. "It would have been perfectly possible for you to continue a happy and relatively normal life without ever knowing about these things."

"I think normal was never in the cards for me." X said, shaking his head. "There was always something for me to overcome… and something to protect."

"I guess in a way you too are in a journey." the man said.

"I suppose. Not to a physical place, but to happiness." X said with a nod.

"Ah, I knew there was more to you than simply the legends and the power." the man said with genuine fondness seeping into his voice. "You're a dreamer, just like me."

With that, he shifted off from the rock and planted both feet back on the ground.

"As for me, I am searching for something I cannot quite define." he added. "When I was still a boy I got to know some people and beings out there who gave me a cause, something to believe in. Like you, I fought and still fight for what I consider just, but unlike you, my horizons are a bit wider and I have no true home."

"Homesick for a place that does not exist, are you?" X asked.

"That's one way of putting it." the man said. "For a long time, I was content with simple adventuring and aimless wandering. Seeing as much as I could see with my own eyes. But eventually… I found someone who changed everything."

"Are you talking about that lady who was with you before?" X asked.

"Yes, though she is not the only one who had an influence on me. There was another who taught me about the Light for a time, before he vanished. I never learned his name or his true form, but there are some who call him the Act-"

He went abruptly silent and reached for the side of his helmet. After holding still for a moment, he sighed.

"Duty calls. I should have known it would not last."

"What duty do you speak of?" X asked. "Is this about that thing you mentioned last time?"

"The Ozar Midrashim is but one of my many concerns, unfortunately." the man said, shaking his head. "Such is the life, not of simply a Warrior of Light, but of a paladin."

"I'm guessing you're not speaking of those ancient knights..."

"Less courtly romance and intrigue... and more smiting evil. I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to follow in the Actraiser's footsteps."

"The… Actraiser?"

"A story for another time. I don't know when I'll be back, but it has been a distinct privilege to speak to you, X… and to get to meet you in person. Until we meet again."

Once again, the armored stranger began hovering in place in the air, before disappearing with a cracking sound and a flash of light.

* * *

Moments later, in the strangers' vessel…

"Ready to head back out?" the statuesque woman in the strange armored outfit asked as the armored man stepped into the chamber.

"I suppose..." he said in a distant tone.

"Are you all right?" she asked with a frown. "You sound a bit out of it."

"I ran into X along the way." the masked figure explained. "It's funny… There's something about him that makes it so easy to get the words flowing out..."

"What did I tell you?" the woman asked with the satisfied look of someone proven right. "Why not just drop the mysterious stranger act and let people get to know you?"

"I would if I knew how..." he said with a sigh as he reached for the helmet and began to remove it. "You're one of the few people I can actually lower my guard with."

"This is no way to live..." she lamented, giving him a sad look. "Rushing from one place to the next in pursuit of this obsession…"

"I guess that kid and the Thousand Myriads were right…" the armored man remarked wearily. "I live in a cage of my own making… and I ended up dragging you into it."

"I'm right where I belong." she said, looking almost offended. "But I'm not going to let this consume you."

Moments later, they set out once more, and would not appear again before X and the others for many months.


	19. Strength and Frailty

Chapter 19 – Strength and Frailty

While floating weightlessly would be a disconcerting experience for most, X was already used to it after having spent so much time deprived of his body. Frustrated at his lack of progress in finding any sign of his siblings or Alia, he had withdrawn into the shack he shared with Zero, now more similar to a proper home after their efforts.

While his body was sitting on the two-seat couch they had assembled together from sheets of metal and bundles of synthetic fibers in Cerveau's workshop, with the Radiant Shard held tightly in his grasp, his mind was elsewhere, in the company of the replicated consciousness of a hero from a distant world.

As his consciousness floated through the increasingly familiar space generated by the Radiant Shard, X's musings were interrupted by its occupant's voice.

"You seem restless, my friend." he remarked with an unreadable expression.

"Maybe because I am." X said with a sigh as he opened an eye.

His attempts at using the space within the Radiant Shard to tune out the background noise coming in from outside had worked, but they had done little to quiet his unease. Perhaps, he mused, a bit of conversation would help take his mind off his worries for a time instead.

"I know that look." the figure said. "My original has worn it many times."

"It still feels a bit weird to hear you speak that way when you have the same memories." X remarked. "I don't know how it doesn't mess up your sense of self."

"Life is strange." the presence retorted with a shrug. "But you are not doing yourself any favors by racking your mind like that. It will not help you find them."

"Can you read my thoughts?" X asked, a little suspicious… and somewhat embarrassed by the mental image of Alia's smile that still lingered in his mind. He knew he had asked the question before, but he was still not fully convinced of the answer.

"No. I cannot read minds. In this space, you are simply broadcasting your intent clearly." the presence explained with a sympathetic look. "But even if that were not the case, your situation is not exactly unfamiliar. Usul too struggled with the loss of friends and the uncertainty of searching for them."

"I guess I'm frustrated..." X admitted. "And a bit scared of what I might find. But I have to know."

"I cannot help you sense their presence if they are in a dormant state, but the boy sounded like he was speaking from personal experience." the presence said with conviction. "You are doing yourself a disservice by letting this anxiety grip you… but I understand you perfectly."

"I have so many questions for my siblings..." X said with a pained look. "And I miss Alia so badly..."

Since regaining his full sensory range thanks to the new body constructed by Ciel, X had been experiencing another resurgence in emotional intensity, even greater than the one caused by his reunion with Zero. Perhaps his mind had finally accepted that he was and had always been part of the world, but he still felt incomplete.

"I was a fool..." he lamented. "I should have made contingency plans. I should have been braver and taken the plunge with Alia."

The excuses he had given himself over the years lingered in his memory. He had focused on duty, or thought he had enough time, or hesitated, not wanting to make things awkward should his affection not being reciprocated… despite the fact that he had seen plenty of signs indicating otherwise. Looking back, he felt considerably frustrated with himself.

"_I guess I never really admitted this to anyone back then..."_ he thought bitterly. _"But what happened to Iris didn't just affect Zero. After everything Sigma did to torment us, I was sure Alia would have become a target as well..."_

"Focus." the presence admonished. "Very few things truly last forever, but you still have time. If she and the others are still here, then you will find them sooner or later. If they are not, you will... be reunited later."

"Later..." X mused. "Where do we all go after our time here is over anyway?"

"A myriad of places, depending on the world, belief and other factors." the presence said. "In the span of infinite infinities, the options for that may well be infinite in turn."

"Actually, that reminds me..." X realized. "How is it that I've met people from at least three entirely different worlds from my own and yet have been able to talk to them so casually?"

"Ah." the presence said with an approving smile. "Now you are asking the important questions. I've noticed that this Caged Light seems reluctant to actively teach others, and instead lets them follow their own path. I'm not surprised that he would have forgotten to mention this."

"Do you know the answer then? Does it have something to do with what we are?"

"Yes. One of the most basic abilities of a Warrior of Light is the ability to communicate with other beings. Anything that has a soul, basically. Language, species, those things are meaningless. Unfortunately that does not help much if you're dealing with something inanimate, like written language."

"And do other Warriors of Light usually move between worlds?"

"Each is a separate case on their own. Some never leave their homeworlds in their lifetimes. Others visit several. Usul belonged to the latter group."

"This all still feels a little surreal." X mused. "A message in a bottle from a distant world, from someone like me who may or may not still be alive… and in this case the bottle talks."

"It was a necessity."

"What do you mean?" X asked, wondering if there was another reason for the strange practice other than simply the wish to leave a legacy.

"We are not the only ones who can travel between worlds or even universes… and not all who possess the ability to do so are benevolent." the presence said, with a noticeably more somber expression. "We have a duty to life itself, and by preserving and spreading our knowledge, we are fulfilling in perpetuity."

"Figures..." X grumbled. "Are we going to have to worry about something else crashing from the sky?"

"Not in the foreseeable future. But do not let this time of peace drive you to complacency."

"Now that wasn't ominous at all..." remarked with a rare dose of sarcasm.

"That was not my intent." the presence said. "But you will find that more often than not, being a Warrior of Light often means that any peace you find is fleeting."

"I don't want to believe that I'm just destined to keep jumping from one crisis to the next, fighting forever until they day I can fight no more." X said warily. "There has to be more to life than that."

"Good." the presence said with a smile. "Fight for others, but don't forget yourself. Many of our kind were robbed of a chance at personal happiness by the call of duty, or only found it later in life. You have already sacrificed more than enough. Just remember my warning about complacency."

"It definitely sounds like you… or your original… have seen some unsettling things out there." X remarked.

"One of these days I will have to tell you a story of the Source and the Shards. The fiends involved are long gone, many of them brought low by Usul's hand, but there are others lurking out there, great and small. From tyrants to false gods to beings that, if given the chance, would devour all of existence."

"We definitely don't need any of that. I'm glad to finally have some peace and quiet, even if things didn't turn out as I had planned."

"On an unrelated note…" X wondered. "Since you have the memories and knowledge of someone who's traveled across many worlds… Have you ever heard of someone or something called the Actraiser?"

"I have heard the name… but very little else. Some theorized that he might be some sort of Primal, but I seriously doubt it."

"Primal?"

"All in due time." the presence said, raising a hand. "I wouldn't want you losing sleep over things that would never come anywhere close to your world."

"What about… the Ozar Midrashim?"

That name definitely got a reaction. With a distant look on his face, the figure frowned and let out a deep sigh.

"One page..." the presence said somberly.

"Huh?"

"One page was all it took to ignite a terrible war that engulfed an entire world. The greed instigated by the mere promise of such knowledge can be a terrible thing. My original walked on that world and saw the result."

"Who could even create such a dangerous item?" X asked.

"There are many beings who hoard knowledge, but my original believed it to be a celestial."

"Celestial?" X asked. "What exactly do you mean?"

"The winged and temperamental variety." the apparition elaborated with a scowl. "In fact, I believe I have a preserved recollection of the encounter. Let me show you."

With another flash of light, X's mind was abruptly filled with images and sounds of a strange scene, almost as if he were watching though someone else's eyes and hearing it through someone else's ears.

The footage itself was not in the best condition, garbled by sporadic bouts of interference, but he could make out the towering shapes of countless battle vehicles resembling legged tanks and the menacing forms of what appeared to be advanced spaceships, engaged in a chaotic battle with no clear sides or boundaries.

X realized that the original Usul was standing on a plateau at a safe distance, overlooking the battle. He could hear a sigh and then the voice of the Warrior of Light from another world.

"Damn fools… At least the bloody moon isn't coming down this time."

He sounded slightly different from the presence, older, slightly hoarse, and definitely tired. X recognized in his tone the same weariness and frustration that had gripped him several times in the past.

As the combatants continued tearing into each other with beam weapons and missiles, there was a flash of white light in the sky and a figure the size and shape of a man emerged, wrapped in a radiant white nimbus. X couldn't make out most of the features, but he did notice six protrusions on the figure's back, resembling wings.

Most of the sounds of the battle were muffled or distorted in a cacophony, but he did hear the figure's voice with haunting clarity as it thundered over everything else – a deep, male voice with a strange accent and a cultured enunciation, dripping with anger and contempt.

"Murderers and thieves the whole lot, trampling over kith and kin to grasp what does not belong to you! If you crave my work so badly, then so be it. Have a taste!"

The figure spread its arms and roared.

"Tetractys Grammaton! Ain Soph Aur!"

Strange symbols appeared in the air around its hands, as if traced in golden ink by an invisible quill. A moment later, a colossal beam of blinding white light swept across the battlefield, obliterating all in its path. Instinctively, Usul covered his eyes with an armored hand. X's mind involuntarily turned to memories of Ragnarok's cannon and other terrible weapons from the past.

When the light finally subsided, there was no trace of the armies or their armaments and a deathly silence fell across the scene.

"Damn you Altima..." the winged figure hissed with unrestrained contempt. "Again the results of your greed are evident."

"Was that really necessary?!" Usul's voice shouted at the flying figure as it descended towards him.

At the edge of his sight, X saw that the Warrior of Light's left hand was clutching something – a piece of parchment that seemed to have been torn from a book.

The winged figure turned its gaze upon him and slowly descended.

"This world has already suffered enough because of these greedy imbeciles. At least, with them removed, the healing can begin."

"Take the blasted page then." Usul's voice retorted, holding the object aloft. "And be more careful about where you leave your toys. Why did you even create such a thing?"

The winged figure raised his right hand and the piece of parchment floated towards his open palm.

"Blame it on my misspent youth." he said sarcastically as he finally grasped it.

X still couldn't make out its face through the nimbus of white light surrounding it, but the deep blue eyes definitely stood out.

"Honestly, maybe you should just burn the whole damn thing..." Usul grumbled.

"No." the winged figure said, shaking his head as he summoned a ridiculously large leather-bound tome and carefully returned the page to its original position. As the frayed edges touched each other, the parchment began to mend, sealing the tear.

"This knowledge still has potential for good if placed in the right hands…" the radiant being explained. "But I will definitely not let this out of my sight again."

Then, the vision abruptly faded.

"Such devastation..." X noted apprehensively.

"Sometimes bringing the Light means fighting… and bringing a measure of destruction." the presence said. "You've been around long enough to know this is true."

With a heavy heart, X pondered this. He had always wished for peace, but had ended up being drawn into countless conflicts in order to protect the innocent and prevent greater tragedies. He felt he had made a difference, though not always in the way he had wished, but now that he had stopped blaming himself for things beyond his control, he understood.

"People like us..." X finally said. "We fight for those who cannot. What you just showed me was a terrible sight, and I don't know enough of the context to say whether it was right or wrong, but it's never easy to watch."

"You are wondering if there might have been another way." the presence deduced.

"It's one thing to use this power for healing and protection, like I have before." X mused. "Fighting Sigma was necessary. Saving Milan was only right. Stopping that rampaging Mechaniloid was justified. But once you start wielding this power against other living things..."

"And that, my friend, is another reason why being a Warrior of Light can be such a heavy burden." the presence said with a sad look on his face. "Why so many question themselves, think about quitting outright or blame themselves for things beyond their control. All of us have that nagging voice in the back of our minds. 'I should have done more.' they say. 'What if there was another way?' 'Why did I survive and others did not?'"

"And sometimes it feels like we're trapped in vicious cycles." X said. "Cycles I've been trying to break for a very long time."

"Good and evil, right and wrong… Those are not always clear when dealing with people rather than abstract concepts. It is entirely possible to be a good person and try to do the right thing but still be completely and utterly wrong. All you can do is try to balance strength and compassion… and use your head."

"Now that's a lesson I already had to learn." X noted with a sour look on his face. "At the end of the day, all we can do is give it our all and examine our feelings and motivations to make sure we don't stray. After all, I put down countless Mavericks, but at times I was afraid I might become one myself."

"Your copy, on the other hand, was so fully convinced of his own righteousness that he probably did not even see the slippery slope he was embarking on."

"I've seen where absolute certainty leads." X said grimly. "If we don't think about what we're doing and why, then..."

A slight smile bloomed on the presence's face.

"And that's why you would never have become a ruler unless there was no other choice… but have made for a fine savior time and again."

"Don't you start that too." X said, visibly uncomfortable. "I'm tired of people putting me on a pedestal. I'm tired of having the world on my shoulders. People are finally learning to build the future without depending on me for everything. Let's keep it that way."

"I understand you completely. My original felt much of the same fatigue and frustration. He feared what might happen to those around him once he was no longer around to protect them… and was often aggravated by their habit of falling into repetitive patterns."

"Do beings like me exist just to keep people from constantly harming themselves and each other?" X pondered with a hint of annoyance. "No, I refuse to believe that. They are better than that… and I'm more than the Busters in my arms."

To his surprise, the presence laughed.

"What's so funny?" X asked.

"Sorry, I don't mean to offend. But right now you definitely sound like my original."

* * *

Meanwhile, in Cerveau's workshop...

As Ciel continued working on Phantom's replacement body, her thoughts drifted to other matters, namely a certain tall long-haired hero who had stolen her heart without even realizing it. After everything that had happened since the aftermath of Ragnarok, she was finding it it somewhat difficult to focus on her work like she had before. On a fundamental level, she understood that her feeling were reciprocated, and that filled her with a joy she couldn't quite put into words.

"_I don't mind waiting a few more years..."_ she thought with a smile._ "I know I'm not going to change my mind and he's not going anywhere… I hope."_

Thinking back to her first encounter with Zero in the abandoned laboratory, she recalled how ludicrously dangerous the entire situation had been, and how she had put herself in harm's way with little to no hesitation.

"_Things might have turned out very differently if you h__adn't been__ there..."_ she thought as she recalled the Pantheon's onslaught and the Golem that had tried to snatch her.

Devoid of memory and acting on instinct, Zero had effortlessly cut down the metallic monstrosity and returned her to the old base unharmed, but as she steadily grew a little older and a little wiser with each day and found more time for reflection, she found herself conflicted. The thought of having Zero keep protecting her as he had done before made her feel a little giddy, but as a human she was aware of her own fragility.

"_Even Reploids got cut down with barely an effort..."_ she thought with a sigh, recalling the carnage on that day.

Though the Resistance had plenty of humans in its ranks, many of the Reploids in their midst had been quite protective of them, insisting on taking the most dangerous assignments. Though she appreciated their dedication, she had always felt a little bad about it.

Her thoughts turned back to the Golem, the same that had effortlessly decimated an entire squadron on the surface before coming for her. The memory being roughly seized by that metallic hand, bigger than her body, had taken some time to get out of her system.

"_I never want to feel helpless like that again."_

Unable to focus on her work, she put the tools down on the workbench. She took a deep breath and idly glanced around. Through the corner of her eye she eventually spotted a familiar sight.

Worried about keeping his Z-Saber well maintained in case it was needed again, Zero had left it in the workshop for her or Cerveau to examine once they had enough time. She knew very well that he was capable of tinkering with it on his own, and the fact that he had left such a thing in their care spoke of the absolute trust they shared. X had told her at one point of how important the weapon was to Zero, and how attached he was to it.

Hesitantly, she stepped closer, then picked up the weapon from the workbench and held it pointing sideways.

"_He makes those stunts look so easy..."_ she mused.

Ciel located the activation switch with her thumb and ignited the emerald energy blade, then stared at it for a brief moment. She stopped for a moment, then glanced around to make sure nobody else was coming.

"_After the lectures we gave Alouette, it would be hypocritical of me..." _she thought with a smirk. _"Still, I wonder how it feels..."_

After backing away from the workbench to avoid any accidents, she hesitantly took a swing at empty air. The weightless blade hummed as she did so, leaving a faint smell of ozone in the air as the plasma interacted with the oxygen in the air.

In a momentary flight of fancy, she struck a pose, holding the blade diagonally above her right shoulder, pointing down. With a smile on her face, she briefly imagined herself wearing a suit of armor like Zero's, standing side by side with him with a blade of her own.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Zero asked sternly from behind her as he stepped into the workshop, snapping her out of her daydreaming.

Ciel nearly jumped with a start and quickly shut the Z-Saber down and set it back on the table.

"I've seen you wield it many times." she said. "I've seen you tinker with it, I've helped Cerveau tune it. I guess part of me was wondering what it would be like to use it."

"Well, don't." Zero said firmly. "You're not a Reploid. Your skin is organic and your reflexes aren't like ours. With a weapon like that you'd be more likely to hurt yourself than any actual enemy."

"Sorry..." she said, realizing that she had made him worry. "But what will happen if I have to defend myself someday?"

With the same intensity in his gaze he had displayed on their first encounter, he locked eyes with her.

"I'm not letting anyone hurt you again." he said, unwittingly echoing one of her dreams.

Upon hearing this, her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as she recalled that particular scene. He noticed, but chose not to comment on it.

"But if it would help you feel safer…" he added. "There are other ways."

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, feeling slightly giddy.

"I trained many a rookie Hunter back in the day." he said with a confident smile. "I definitely don't even want to think of you in actual combat, but if it'll put your mind at ease I can run you through the basics."

She gave him the most adorable look she could muster.

"Really?"

"Really." he said, looking away and covering his eyes as if he had been blinded. "But dial it down. I can't focus when you and Alouette do that."

She giggled and flashed a mischievous grin at him.

"Sorry..." she said playfully.

"Just don't tell Alouette about this." Zero said with a smirk. "Don't want to give her any ideas..."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the wilderness outside the settlement, an unexpected encounter was unfolding…

"You..." Colbor said, noticeably tensing up as he recognized the woman clad in blue.

Leviathan glanced over her shoulder and stopped her practice, stowing her trident in a holster on her back.

"Yes, me." she said warily. "What of it?"

"What are you doing here?" Colbor asked.

"Exactly what you saw." she retorted with a shrug. "But should you be patrolling alone?"

"I am not patrolling. Just walking." he said, looking rather upset at the remark. "And even if I were, I wouldn't want to drag anyone else down again."

Realizing that her choice of words might not have been the best, she tried to correct it.

"I didn't mean it that way. Just..."

"You don't owe me any explanation." he said rather coldly, before turning to leave.

"_Damnit..."_ she thought, once again reminded of the guilt and regret that she and her siblings had been struggling to overcome.

It was then that an idea unexpectedly dawned on her.

"_I guess… we're not the only ones trapped by the past… But what if..."_

"Wait." she suddenly said.

"What?" Colbor asked, stopping in place but not looking at her.

"I get where you're coming from..." Leviathan said, crossing the distance and circling around to speak to him face to face. "Hear me out."

Being in her presence again and looking at her face made him visibly uncomfortable, but he stood his ground.

"What?" he asked again.

"You have every right to be angry at us." she said with a downcast look on her face. "We made bad choices and are still trying to find our way."

"That's one way of putting it." he retorted coldly.

"We can't exactly turn back the clock and undo what we did." Leviathan pointed out. "But what if… What if I could share my skills with you? Help you get stronger so you never feel that helpless again?"

"And why would you do that?" Colbor asked suspiciously.

"We were looking for ways to make amends to the other Reploids." Leviathan said with a shrug. "Why not start with this?"

"_Maybe Ciel and X were right..."_ she pondered. _"The way for us to put ourselves back together may be by helping others do the same."_

"Just to make sure my audio receptors aren't malfunctioning..." Colbor reiterated. "You're offering to train me? Me, of all people?"

"X and Zero can't be everywhere at once." Leviathan pointed out. "Don't you want to be capable of protecting the people around you?"

The fact that she had omitted Axl had not escaped his notice, but something else about her choice of words caught most of his attention.

"Are you making fun of me?" he hissed as bitter memories of his first encounter with Harpuia danced across his mind.

"Am I laughing?" she retorted, her expression suddenly steely.

He looked at her face for what felt like an eternity and while the anger subsided, the confusion remained.

"Why?" he finally asked.

"You faced a situation you were unprepared for, and it left its marks." she said evenly. "But you had the courage to head into danger despite your average specs and lack of experience."

"I wish I hadn't." he said bitterly. "Maybe the others would still be alive if someone else had led them."

"Are you already forgetting?" Leviathan asked. "The whole speech about moving forward and trying to be better? Do you really want to get another scolding from a little girl?"

"I… suppose not." Colbor conceded. "She does have a point… and I'd rather not upset her again."

"Then stop thinking about what ifs." she retorted. "I know it's hard. You're not the only one who wishes they could turn back the clock. But none of us can. All we can do now is be better."

"I suppose." he said hesitantly. "But wouldn't you rather train someone more capable?"

"Feeling inferior about your specs? Is that what this is about? Or is it because of who the offer is coming from?"

He said nothing.

"I get it." she said with a sigh. "There's still lingering bad blood, and with good reason, but here's something you need to remember. Specs don't matter compared to will."

"What?"

"It may sound hypocritical of me to say it, but it's true." she insisted. "After all, didn't X take down a Mechaniloid on his own while he was in that temporary body?"

"Not the best comparison, considering everything he can do… even without that strange power." Colbor said with a wince, feeling rather inadequate.

"Do you have any idea how many times he and Zero survived having half their bodies destroyed?" she pointed out. "Hell, X survived losing his entire body. Held himself together long enough to wait for a new one while still helping out here and there."

"There's something to be said about that, yes..." Colbor conceded. "I doubt I could ever compare to either of them, but I get what you're saying."

The Resistance Captain clenched both his fists.

"After that mess, I tried to resign but Ciel would have none of it."

"From what I've seen so far… that definitely sounds like her." Leviathan mused. "Some might say she's too kind for her own good, but then again… the same thing has been said about X."

"Despite my blunders, she still trusted me. She didn't blame me for what happened. Zero even came to speak to me just to make sure I was holding it together. Time to prove myself that I deserved their trust."

He was still noticeably tense in her presence after the previous encounter, but at least the latent hostility seemed to have subsided. She had not expected him to speak of something so personal, but his earnest reaction did earn another measure of her respect.

"Good." Leviathan said, her expression softening slightly. "As long as you follow my regimen and don't pull any crazy stunts like that madman Faucon, you should be just fine."

"Don't remind me..." Colbor grumbled.

The so-called Faucon Punch incident had been widely talked about in the settlement and his reckless antics were becoming admired by some of the children, much to the chagrin of the adults.

Several hours later, as Leviathan stepped inside the old facility she and her brothers were staying at, Phantom cast a glance at her from the chair where he was poring over technical schematics.

"Glad to see that your mood is improving." he noted.

"So am I." she said with a nod. "And what are you up to?"

"Simply pondering how to better serve our newfound purpose." he said pensively.

"Same thing here." she said with the first smile she had shown in a while. "In fact, you could say I've found a rather interesting project..."

"You mean other than getting back to that ocean monitoring plan?"

"That's too far away and I don't have the resources for it yet." she said, shaking her head. "This is something a little more local and short to medium term."

"Do tell."

"Overcoming the past… by helping someone else do the same." she explained. "Just like X suggested."

* * *

Around the same time, on the outskirts of the settlement…

A simple metal shack had been set up in the earlier days of the relocation, mostly for use as a temporary storeroom. Having served that purpose, it had been then used as a guard station of sorts and later adapted into a simple firing range with the side windows covered and the walls reinforced with additional plating and an energy field generators in order to prevent any accidents.

Knowing that they didn't have much time left before it started getting dark and that Ciel would need to get a full night's rest before she could face the next day's work, Zero had hurried along. Nobody else was around at that hour, which meant they had the entire place to themselves.

"Are you sure about this?" Ciel hesitantly asked as she gripped a Buster Gun.

"You said it yourself. Hope for the best, but be prepared." Zero said. "But if you're going to use something like this, there are rules you'll need to be mindful of."

"I know." she said with a nod. "These things are dangerous, as intended."

"I know you know." he said with a smile, patting her head. "I wouldn't have suggested this if I didn't trust your judgement. We'll practice later with stun charges, but for now, just get a general feel for it. It's unloaded so you don't have to worry about any accidents."

He paused for a moment and then continued.

"In my days as a Hunter I trained plenty of rookies. Obviously, the first step of learning to use a weapon is knowing when not to use it, but you already know that. But you also need the awareness to evaluate the entire situation… and if it's called for, you need to be measured and act without hesitation."

"That makes sense..."

"The Hunters had their fair share of human staff, mostly in administrative duties, but a Reploid's muscle mass and physical fitness aren't affected by exercise, so we focused on training the mind."

"Actually..." Ciel wondered. "Were there any human field operatives back in your day?"

"Very few." Zero said. "The higher ups tried to train some and outfit them with power armor, but the level of violence and destruction the Mavericks were capable of put a lot of people off. The idea ended up being canned after too many casualties and training accidents."

"It… takes a lot of courage to stand in harm's way for the sake of others..." Ciel mused, her voice trailing off.

Zero cast a worried glance at her.

"Are you OK?"

"I'm… not sure..." she said, feeling light-headed. "Maybe lunch didn't… agree with me?"

She put the Buster Gun back on the table and tried to head for a nearby chair, but started stumbling. Alarmed, Zero caught her and placed a hand on her forehead.

"You're burning up. How did you even make it here?"

"I guess… it just snuck up on me..."

The weather was growing noticeably chillier, and while it hadn't started snowing just yet, it was becoming distinctly uncomfortable outside. The household heating systems were already at work on a low setting, but most people had not yet switched to winter clothing.

"OK, lesson's over." Zero said with a frown. "I'm taking you home. Are you well enough to walk?"

Despite the circumstances, she found the presence of spirit to crack a joke.

"If I say no, will you carry me?" she asked with a mischievous smile.

"I can see who Alouette takes it from..." he scoffed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Fine, but let's keep it between us. We'll never hear the end of it from Axl if he finds out."

Later…

"Relax." Cial said. "It's just a fever. It's not like she's dying or anything."

"I know… It's just that I've never seen her like this before." Zero said, visibly unnerved as he paced around the living room. "I'm definitely not used to it."

"Part and parcel of being human." Cial pointed out, though her expression was somewhat softer than usual. "For now, she has medication and people to look after her. She'll probably feel like crap for a few days and then she'll be back to her usual self."

Zero had definitely noticed a change in the former Head Administrator over time.

For the most part, unless she was around her mother and sister, Cial would keep a distant, almost haughty facade. However, as she gradually grew used to being back with her family and in the company of Alouette and the former Maverick Hunters, she had slowly begun to show a different side. Amused and somewhat heartened, he chose not to comment on it, lest she withdrew back into her shell.

"You've lived among humans long enough to know that we're not as fragile as we may look." Cial added, with the faintest hint of a smile as she patted his shoulder ever so lightly. "But I'm sure you'll both feel better if you go see her."

Zero nodded and headed into the petite scientist's room, a place where had never been before. He found her tucked in bed, underneath a thick blanket.

"Hey..." he whispered, leaning closer.

"Glad you could make it..." she said, looking at him with tired and rather reddish eyes.

"You don't look so good..."

"It was a bit sudden. Must have caught some cold outside..."

"Do you want me to get X?" Zero suggested. "See if his glowing hand trick can fix that?"

"It probably could… but let's give it a rest."

"Hmm?"

"I guess this is my body's way of telling me to slow down for a while." Ciel reasoned. "If he finds a way to make it better right away, I'll probably end up just going back to work."

"Besides..." she added with a smile as she reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "At least this way I get to spend a little more time with you without interruptions."

"The fever must be getting to your head." he scoffed. "When did I ever refuse to spend time with you? But don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

The fact that she still had the presence of mind to crack jokes was reassuring, but he was definitely not used to seeing her in such a vulnerable state.

"_This is another thing I'll have to get used to..."_ he mused.

He knew that one day, like all humans, she would pass from the world, taking another piece of his heart with her like Iris had done. He tried not to dwell on such thoughts, reminding himself that she was still young and had a long, promising life ahead.

"_Guess one day I might have to cut down the Reaper himself." _he thought. _"But for now, I'd rather live life than w__orry__ about the distant future."_


	20. Awaken, White Mage

Chapter 20 – Awaken, White Mage

As the weary hero and the visitor from a distant start continued their conversation, a pensive expression crept upon the replica's face.

"You know… I think that's enough pondering for one day, wouldn't you say? Enough talking about lofty concepts and terrible things far beyond this world."

"You have a point..." X conceded. "After all, I came here to get a little peace and quiet. To rest my mind for a bit."

"That's not exactly what the Radiant Shards were crafted for, but you wouldn't be the first to use them that way." the presence said with a knowing smile. "Just make sure you don't overdo it… and don't shut out the people around you."

"Perish the thought." X said, unnerved by the notion. "I've spent far too much time without them."

"Good. But I think there's one more thing you should hear before you go."

"Oh?"

"Usul earned the moniker Omnis by mastering countless arts." the presence elaborated. "But rather than the destructive might of the black mage, the firepower of the machinist or even the protective abilities of the paladin, I think what you need the most right now is to hone your ability to put back together that which was broken. Those who were broken."

"Put back together… those who were broken?"

"How about I tell you one of my favorite stories?" the presence offered with an enigmatic smile. "How my original took it upon himself to learn the healing arts… and in the process mended the heart of a young girl who still mourned the loss of her mother."

"I think I'd like that..." X said, eager to forget the unsettling vision he had witnessed before.

As the story unraveled, X found himself enthralled. The presence inside the Shard could have simply shown everything directly through his original's memories, but instead used a combination of words and images, stopping here and there to add some comments with the benefit of hindsight.

An indeterminate amount of time later, when the story finally finished, X felt a tranquil sense of fulfillment.

"Could… someone like me ever fully develop those abilities?" X eventually asked with a mixture of curiosity and carefully restrained excitement.

"You have already touched upon this power before, even if you were doing it on instinct." the presence said. "Being organic or synthetic is irrelevant here. Now imagine the good you can do if you learn to do it more consistently."

"I definitely think this world needs less fighting and more healing right now." X mused. "And I want to be part of putting it back together."

"You have the will, and you have already cracked the shell." the presence said with a smile. "Many people aren't even aware the shell exists at all. You've even reached the point where you can consciously call upon that power at will. What do you say we take it a step further?"

"What exactly do you have in mind?" X asked.

"The other arts will likely come to you later." the presence said. "You have the talent and the purity of heart. But for now, what do you say we focus on your priority?"

With a negligible effort of will, X summoned the increasingly familiar white radiance to his right hand and gazed upon it. There was something about the strange space that made the power easier to manifest.

"Yes..." X said, feeling a little giddy as the promise of new possibilities danced across his mind. "I definitely think I'd like that."

"I thought you would. Now listen closely. Since you have already done this before, I think the next step is to give you a little more direction. We can fry your brain with complicated theory later. For now, close your eyes and focus on the sound of my voice."

X did as instructed, a little taken aback by the subtle change in the presence's tone. From experienced wanderer with a subtle snarky streak, he had effortlessly switched to the role of teacher in the blink of an eye.

The presence paused and spoke again, more solemnly.

"Think about all the things in this world that give it meaning. Keep all the lives dwelling within it in your heart. Are you following so far?"

X simply nodded. Images of his past danced across his mind. Old friends, long gone, the ones who had still endured, the new ones currently by his side.

"Good. Hold your affection for the world close and use it to ignite your light. This is the most potent fuel you'll ever find."

X stood in place, digging deep for the memories he cherished the most. Then the images shifted, and he saw once again the picture of his siblings he had found in the old news archive, and then, at the end of it all, a memory of Alia, smiling, as if waiting for him.

"And now…" the presence continued, pacing around him. "Hear. Think. Feel. Awaken."

With his eyes still closed, X focused on the presence's words, trying to discern their true significance. Eventually though, he felt a shift, and his mind stopped trying to process the situation and simply let go. A soothing, familiar warmth blossomed on his chest and spread across his incorporeal form, and when he opened his eyes again they momentarily lit up with the same white light.

"It's no wonder you tapped into this power by accident." the presence fondly remarked, standing in front of him. "Endured so much for the sake of others. You have to be one of the most loving people I have ever met."

"I think… I'm getting the hang of this." X hesitantly said. "When you think about it… or rather, when you stop thinking about it… it's almost… ridiculously simple."

"Then get out there and continue to change your world…" the presence said with a smile, placing both hands on X's shoulders. "Warrior of Light. White mage."

By the time X finally awakened from his trance-like state and returned to his body, it was already dark outside. The radiance had subsided again, but the reassuring warmth in his chest lingered.

"_Where's Zero?" _he wondered.

Finding the silence of the shack rather uncomfortable, he decided to step outside.

The contrast between the cold wind on his face and the warmth of his dwelling renewed his gratitude to Ciel and Lune for allowing him to once again experience the simple comforts of life. The tunic and matching ensemble were soft, warm. The scents wafting through the air reminded him that several families were in the process of cooking their dinners. Despite the change in seasons, he realized that a few were still gathered in the empty plot near the center of the settlement that had become an unofficial meeting and group meal site, warming themselves by a fire.

Finding himself in a sentimental mood, X realized the last thing he wanted was to be alone at a time like that.

"_Axl just comes and goes whenever he feels like it… but knowing Zero, I have a pretty good idea of where he is."_

And so, he made his way to Ciel's house. A few minutes later, he found Axl, still in a typical green uniform, peeking through one of the kitchen windows and apparently trying to contain his laughter.

"What's so funny?" X asked, quirking an eyebrow. "And why are you just standing there peeking like a creeper?"

"Hey buddy!" Axl said with a smile, looking over his shoulder. "I was getting worried about you turning into a shut in. Not good for people our age."

"As for the what and why of it..." Axl added. "Not gonna spoil it. Just go inside and see for yourself."

Intrigued, X, finding the front door unlocked, did exactly that.

As he stepped into the living room, he saw Cial and Alouette sitting on the couch. The small Reploid girl was apparently entertaining herself with an ancient Rubik's Cube, the sight of which caught X by surprise. Meanwhile, the former Head Administrator was watching her with a perplexed look on her face.

"I didn't even think they still made those." X remarked as he stepped closer.

"Mother found it among her old things." Cial explained. "It looks like Alouette took a liking to it."

"Figuring things out makes my brain tingle." Alouette chimed in with a gleeful smile. "Why do you think I like school so much?"

"I can relate." X said, finding her enthusiasm endearing.

It was then that X noticed a peculiar smell in the air, seemingly coming from the kitchen.

"What's cooking?" he asked, finding it vaguely familiar.

"I'm not sure I want to know..." Cial said, exhaling sharply. "Some of those spices make me want to sneeze."

Intrigued, X headed to the kitchen, where he was greeted by an unexpected sight.

Relieved of the coat of his uniform, with his usual absurdly long ponytail tied behind his back like one would tie a hostage, Zero was stirring the contents of a cooking pot with a ladle as they simmered over an electric stove plate. The sight of his old friend – the revered warrior and former Maverick Hunter commander, trying to prepare a meal like an ordinary person – was equal parts surprising and soothing.

"This is new..." X remarked with a smile. "And by the smell, I think I recognize the recipe too."

Zero froze in place, visibly embarrassed to be caught in such an act for some reason.

"What?" he asked rather awkwardly.

"What, what?" X retorted with a shrug.

"I wanted to try something different." Zero said, before stirring the contents of the cooking pot again.

"What, you thought I was going to make fun of you?" X asked with a scoff.

"It did cross my mind." Zero said, still a little self-conscious.

"We're three hundred year old bachelors." X pointed out. "Nothing wrong with knowing your way around a house, and it's far from the first time you've tried your hand at cooking."

"In fact..." X added, stepping closer. "I'd say it suits you."

He had seen Zero in similar situations in the distant past. Seeing him like that once again was reassuring. He seemed to have fully embraced his new life and allowed himself to find peace. X still had unfinished matters to settle, but for that evening the sight of his old friend looking so contented was enough.

"There are more ways of looking after other people than just cutting crazy robots down." Zero grumbled, as if trying to justify himself.

"You'll get no argument from me." X retorted with a shrug.

"Well, now that we're not putting out fires all over the place, we actually have some time to try other things." Zero noted.

"That's true." X said with a nod. "After all, one of the reasons why we settled for movie nights back in the day was because of how hard it was to make any kind of plans that involved traveling or extended breaks… before something else happened."

"Unfortunately the world doesn't have a pause button." Zero mused. "Thankfully, we don't need one. Not anymore."

With that, he filled the ladle with some soup and presented it to X.

"Your timing is perfect, actually." Zero said. "I need your opinion."

The smell of the crimson broth was odd, but not unpleasant. As he tried it, X finally realized why it felt familiar. The recipe, which a long departed colleague had shared with them a lifetime prior, had been a point of contention among some of the Hunters due to the smell, but others would swear by it after having tasted it for the first time.

The taste was rich but not overpowering, stirring memories of friends long gone and the triumphs and tribulations of younger days, before everything had changed once again.

"Not exactly the same…" X said, taking the time to savor it. "But very close. Messer would be proud. I guess that puts to rest any concerns about your memory."

"All the important stuff is back." Zero said with a nod. "Tiny details, I can always recall later. I think I overused some of the spices though. "Couldn't find some others in time, so I had to improvise."

"Not bad for a first attempt." X said encouragingly. "But what gave you the idea right now?"

"Second." Zero corrected. "The first… well..."

With that, he cast a glance at a bucket in a corner of the kitchen, where a rather unappealing half-burnt mess was pooled.

"_Uh… we should probably dump that somewhere before it starts stinking up the place." _X thought.

"As for the reason why… well." Zero explained. "I thought I'd do something nice for Ciel while she's getting her strength back."

"Her strength back?" X asked with a concerned frown. "Did something happen to her?"

"Nothing serious. Just a cold creeping on her."

"Oh." X said, his concern abating. "But in that case, do you think she should eat spicy food? Might upset her stomach."

"I guess it slipped my mind..." Zero admitted. "But I wanted to do something for her and we don't have ingredients for chicken soup lying around."

With that, Zero filled up a bowl and held it with both hands, taking in the scent.

"Worth a try, no?"

With that, he carefully carried it to Ciel's room, closely followed by X. As they neared the doorway, Lune came out of it and quickly stepped out of the way.

"You really are fully of surprises." she remarked with a smile.

"You've been looking after Ciel for hours." Zero noted. "There's still plenty left in the kitchen, so help yourself if you want."

"How is she, by the way?" X asked.

"She's not as fragile as she looks." Lune said. "But I do appreciate the concern. I think for now I'll take Zero's suggestion."

As she headed the way they had come, the Hunter pair stepped into the room. Ciel looked considerably better, but was still spending most of her time in bed, trying to get as much rest as she could in order to go back to work as soon as possible… and to avoid worrying those around her.

"It's funny..." X remarked. "For centuries doctors and scientists have tried to wipe out the common cold. Every time they think they've done it, it comes back with a vengeance."

Zero found the presence of mind to crack a joke at the remark.

"Kind of like us, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh please." Ciel scoffed. "Who'd want to get rid of you?"

She seemed strangely giddy, which caught X by surprise. Noticing his reaction, she smiled, looking a little embarrassed.

"Sorry in advance if I say anything outrageous." she said rather sheepishly. "The fever is down for now but I'm still… not quite myself."

"Actually, there's something I want to talk to you about..." X said, his hand lighting up slightly.

"I figured you'd want to help with this as soon as you found out." Ciel said, still smiling. "But there's no need."

"Are… are you sure?" X asked, caught by surprise.

"I'll be back to my usual self in a couple more days." she said with a nod. "But I can understand your urge to help and I appreciate the thought. I just think your effort would be better spent on someone who needs it more."

"You've got a point." X conceded, before glancing at Zero with a knowing smile. "Besides, I can see you're in good hands."

"There's… something different about you today." she remarked.

"I guess I finally decided to do a little more research into this whole Warrior of Light business." X explained. "What did he call this? White mage?"

"What's that supposed to be?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Apparently some sort of healer." X elaborated. "I've healed people before, but I was acting on instinct most of the time. Now that I have a better understanding of it all, I think I can help the people around me in new ways."

"That's so like you." Zero said. "Well then, let us know how that goes. I'm not sold on this stuff just yet, but I can imagine how happy something like that would make you."

"I'd ask around if I were you." Ciel suggested. "The winter isn't here in full force just yet, but the very young and the very old could be struggling."

"I'll do that." X said with a nod. "In the meantime, make sure you get plenty of rest and save your strength."

X and Zero lingered a while longer, enough to see Ciel taste the soup. Holding the bowl with both hands, she tentatively took a sip from the bowl and blinked.

"Oh my..." she said, feeling a rush of warmth through her stomach and chest in equal measure. "I could get used to this."

"I try not to spoil you too much..." Zero said. "But you know I'm not the type to just sit around and wait for things to get better."

In a matter of minutes, the contents of the bowl were gone and Ciel was once again resting her head on her pillow. Recognizing the telltale signs of post-meal drowsiness, the Hunter pair excused themselves.

As they left the house, they found Axl standing outside waiting for them, silently smiling at the sight of them.

"What? No nurse or butler jokes?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Oh please." Axl said in mock outrage. "I'm a troll, not a jerk. Besides, she's already looking much better."

"You could have gone inside to check on her too." Zero pointed out rather bluntly.

"I could, but I'm not so good at this kind of thing." Axl said dismissively. "I'm more of the cracking jokes and pulling pranks type."

"You're a terrible liar." Zero scoffed.

"Fine..." Axl huffed. "Maybe I wanted to give you two some space. Happy?"

"You could just have said so from the beginning." Zero countered, while X just watched the exchange with an amused smirk.

"You know I'm not very good at that lovey dovey stuff." Axl protested.

"Palette would disagree." Zero pointed out.

"Low blow bro." Axl said with a wince, feeling a pang of regret at the mention of the name.

"I get it." X said with a sympathetic nod. "You're not ready to move on just yet."

"Oh come on!" Axl protested in mock outrage. "I've got a reputation as a carefree clown to uphold."

"A reputation only you seem to care about upholding." X pointed out. "Come on Axl. You've kept prodding us to be honest with ourselves. Why won't you do the same more often?"

"I suppose you've got a point." Axl conceded with a sigh, the look on his face briefly revealing the sadness he tried to conceal with his antics. "She really did a number on me."

"I suppose I should be proud I held myself together long enough to see the three of us back together." Axl added, flashing not his usual trademark smile, but a more subdued one.

"You know you can talk to us." X said.

"Yeah, I know." Axl conceded with a nod. "I just don't want any of us to leave anything else on hold or waste any more chances at being happy. Why do you think I give you so much crap about Alia?"

"I'm not giving up." X said. "I still haven't found anything yet but that just means I have to keep looking. Now that I have the time for it, I'm not giving up until I've found her."

"Good." Axl said with a nod. "So… got any more leads?"

"I think it's time I went back to the old Hunter HQ." X pondered. "Whatever is left of it. Alia was stationed far from there, but finding a list of the actual outpost locations would help a lot. Not even we knew them all."

"What about the Megalopolis angle?" Zero asked.

"I still suspect those two are somewhere in what's left of the old city." X pondered. "Which would mean deep underground, buried under tons of rock, concrete and who knows what else… unless my father had some kind of emergency shelter somewhere else."

"I want to help, but I can't exactly leave now." Zero said with a regretful look on his face. "Not while Ciel is still sick."

"You are helping." X reassured him. "No matter how long this takes, I know I still have a home to come back to."

"You know it." Zero said with a confident smile. "So don't worry too much about it. Do what you need to do. When things around here are sorted, I'll tag along too."

"From what I saw in those old files..." Axl recalled, turning to X. "Your old man probably saw something like the first Cataclysm coming. In fact, since he already looked like his age was catching up to him or his health was crapping out in some of those recordings, it's a sure bet he had some kind of plan for the others."

"Assuming they did survive." Cial chimed in, catching up with them. "But I would like to be optimistic as well."

"Before you ask, she's getting there." she added, turning to Zero. "Sleeping again for now, but Mother is keeping an eye on her."

Zero eyed the girl nearly identical to Ciel. Despite the progress they had made in coaxing her out of her shell, they definitely still had some work in that area.

"I still can't quite figure you out." Zero said, studying her face.

"That makes two of us." she admitted with an unreadable expression. "You turned my world on its head too, even if you did not know I existed at all."

"In fact..." she added, her eyes betraying another hint of what was going through her mind. "I dare say you have accomplished quite a feat in getting even someone like me excited about the future."

"Huh?" Zero muttered.

"For a long time, I did what I thought needed to be done." she elaborated. "Though I ultimately ended up losing faith in a doomed endeavor and helping tear it down. You three, with strength and kindness, are slowly accomplishing what that fake and his heavy handed methods never could."

The former Head Administrator sighed.

"People follow you without question. Most of the time you barely even have to say anything. Your presence and example are enough."

"Well well..." Axl said with a goofy grin. "Not gonna start falling for us, are you?"

"Oh please." she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "A brat like you?"

"If you say so." he teased. "We'll see."

In response, she simply flashed her open palm.

"I noticed you haven't said anything about my bros though." Axl teased.

"That is because they are not fools like you." she countered, back to her usual icy tone. "But even if I cared about such notions – which I do not – it is best not to mix things."

"Not to mention your sis and Alia would be up in arms." Axl said with a chuckle.

"Enough." Cial grumbled. "I have had enough of your nonsense for today."

"He does enjoy pushing people's buttons." Zero remarked with a sigh.

"For their own good." Axl retorted with his usual shameless grin. "Sometimes people need a little prodding to move on with their lives. I don't mind playing mosquito if that helps."

"Take care that you do not get swatted." Cial warned, leering at him.

"I'll live." Axl said in an infuriatingly carefree tone. "After all, I've gotta stick around until I get you and the Sea Dragon to laugh."

"By making a nuisance of yourself?" Cial scoffed. "Interesting notion."

"If it's stupid but it works..." Axl countered. "Besides, I like your mom. She's a nice lady who went through a lot of crap too."

"Now don't you start getting ideas you..." Cial hissed, her facade cracking again and revealing genuine annoyance.

"You've got a dirty mind." Axl retorted, once again grinning. "If Alouette can go around adopting people why can't I do the same?"

"For starters, you're nowhere near cute enough." Zero teased.

"I can be." Axl insisted, his grin growing more exaggerated.

Meanwhile, X just watched and tried not to laugh.

Feeling another impending headache, Cial sighed and shook her head.

"You two are far more patient than I am, if you have endured him for so long."

"You know Axl just says dumb things to rile people up." Zero said with a shrug. "Best not to pay too much attention."

"You know what?" Axl said, before taking a deep breath and his expression turning serious as he stared directly at Cial. "Fine. Time to lay some truth."

Surprised, Cial quirked an eyebrow.

"Sometimes people need a little push to be honest with themselves and each other." Axl said. "Sometimes they need a little prodding to help them face their feelings or open up to others."

"What, are you trying to be some kind of therapist?" Cial asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hell no!" Axl protested. "I couldn't sit in an office all day. But I'm pretty good at reading people… and sometimes they take a little riling up before they show how they really feel."

"Besides..." he added, taking a step closer to Cial. "If it gets people like you and Leviathan to move on with their lives and actually be happy, then I'll gladly play the part of the clown and let you get mad at me."

"You really are a fool." Cial retorted with a strange look on her face. "Have you ever considered that perhaps being honest with people instead of putting up this stupid act might be more beneficial for everyone involved?"

"Says the Ice Queen who was skulking around in a mask." Axl pointed out.

"I moved past it." Cial retorted. "Perhaps you should start practicing what you preach."

"I suppose." Axl conceded. "You want some honesty then? Fine. These two are like family to me. By extension, that means your sis, your mom and you are too."

Cial did not have a barbed reply for that.

"Why…?" she tried to ask.

"Don't need a reason." Axl said with a shrug. "But if you need one, well… your mom and sis are some of the kindest people I've ever met. You're not so bad yourself."

"You barely even know me." Cial said, rolling her eyes.

"Better than you think." Axl countered. "I lived in Neo Arcadia for a time, remember? I worked with your mom in the Resistance and made sure Ciel stayed safe when I was around. And yes, I know you better than you think. Enough to know you're not the horrible person you believed to be."

Cial blinked and stayed silent.

"The same goes for the Sea Dragon and her brothers." Axl continued. "People make bad choices sometimes. It's just a matter of owning up to them and moving on. I'm glad that whole mess ended without having to scrap them too."

X froze for a moment. Axl's choice of words evoked their share of unpleasant memories.

"We did leave quite the trail of bodies in our wake..." X recalled. "Friends we couldn't save… and Reploids who insisted on following Sigma's madness willingly or lost their minds completely. Most of the time, we had no choice."

"I can agree on the former." Zero said. "But the others? You gave them every chance to back down and they still wouldn't stop. Stopping them saved lives. No point feeling guilty about it."

"You do have a point." X conceded. "I've thought about it countless times and always reached the same conclusion. If they'd had their way, humanity would be extinct and Reploids would either have followed them or ended up as mindless drones."

"I'm glad to see all that time I spent trying to talk some sense into you wasn't wasted." Zero said, his expression softening. "None of us here particularly enjoy doing that, but we need to be able to live with it. There were times back in the day when you looked like you were about to fall apart."

"Don't remind me..." X said, looking ashamed of himself. "This wasn't the first time I left you to clean up my mess."

"Don't be ridiculous." Zero scoffed. "We all need a break sometimes. You tried your best to hold things together without me. I'm just glad that after all this time you finally learned you can't try to carry everything on your shoulders."

"I'm just glad I didn't do anything irreversible." X said with a soft smile. "Having you two back along with all these new faces… It makes me feel more alive than in the last couple of centuries."

"But enough of this heavy stuff." Axl said, reverting to his usual demeanor as he stared at his old friends. "You're getting better. We all are. That's all I need for now."

"_I suppose there's more to him than meets the eye..." _Cial mused, watching Axl's shift in demeanor. _"Even if he is a fool."_

"Anyway..." Zero chimed in, eager to change the subject. "When are you going on your next search, X?"

"I'm not sure yet." X said. "I still need to do some planning… and there's something else I want to look into before leaving."

"You mean what we talked about inside?" Zero asked.

X simply nodded.

"Meaning?" Cial asked.

"I received some guidance from the personality inside the Radiant Shard." X explained. "I'm ready to put this power to the test by using it to help the sick and injured."

"Wait what?" Cial asked, clearly out of the loop.

"Didn't Ciel tell you about the AI or whatever that is living inside the rock that fell from the sky?" Axl asked. "Didn't X?"

"They mentioned some of it, yes." Cial confirmed. "Nothing about X going around performing more miracles."

"Oh boy..." Axl remarked, glancing at X. "You know that's gonna blow your legend even more out of proportion."

"Yes..." X said with resignation. "But my embarrassment is a small price to pay if I can actually help people."

"In that case… I have a request." Cial said.

X glanced at her, letting her speak.

"When you go about it… I would like to observe." she hesitantly elaborated.

"I have no objections." X said. "But why?"

"I would like to understand this a little better." Cial explained. "Both how it works and why it affects me the way it does."

"If I had to guess, I'd say it's because your heart hasn't mended yet, Ice Queen." Axl said without a hint of levity.

"_Perhaps..."_ she mused, surprised by the insightful remark and unwilling to argue any further.

Another day passed, and eventually came the time for another planning meeting.

"Don't worry." Lune said reassuringly as she stood next to Ciel's bed. "We'll fill you in on everything once you're back to full strength. In the meantime, try to rest. Alouette will be keeping an eye on things here."

"Funny..." Ciel mused, looking and feeling considerably better. "She's growing up so fast… and now she's the one looking after me. How the tables have turned."

"The love and kindness you've shown her are showing." Lune remarked with a smile. "Your caring nature has definitely rubbed off on her."

As if on cue, Alouette stepped into the room.

"No trying to sneak in work while the others are away, you hear me?" the small Reploid girl playfully scolded, wagging her finger, much to Ciel and Lune's amusement.

"You know me all too well." Ciel said with a smile. "But don't worry. I'll behave."

Around half an hour later, in the building that had become an unofficial town hall of sorts…

"_Why do I have this nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something?"_ Lune wondered.

To her surprise, she spotted two figures in the back of the room, recognizing them instantly despite the plain clothes. One clad in a one piece black outfit, the other a green one, Phantom and Harpuia were quietly sitting there, watching the proceedings. She might not have recognized them, if not for their distinctive faces and for the fact that even out of armor they still insisted on wearing their usual colors.

"_How did they…?"_

Confused, she cast a glance at X.

"I invited them." X explained. "To be honest, I'm surprised they accepted."

"Fair enough..." Lune said. "If there's anyone they will listen to, it's you."

She then glanced at Cerveau.

"Is the projector ready?"

"Simple enough compared to some of the other stuff we've been setting up." the Chief Engineer said, before suppressing a shudder. "Just don't ask me to fix printers. Those things are the spawn of hell."

"I'm guessing there's a story behind that?" she asked, surprised by the normally mild-mannered Reploid's remark.

Cerveau just grumbled something unintelligible and nodded, before turning in the holographic projector mounted on a table at the center of the room. Moments later, a head and shoulders projection of Thaddeus appeared.

"Is this thing on?" his voice asked through the speakers. "Ah, good. Can you hear me?"

"Sound is good." Cerveau confirmed. "And on your end?"

"All good. A pity I couldn't attend in person, but this Neo Alexandria business is probably going to keep me busy for a very long time."

Cial was surprised to see how different the man looked after their previous encounter. The tattered labcoat was gone, replaced by a blue wool sweater. He seemed to have trimmed his hair as well, making him look more like a gentle fatherly type than a half-crazed wanderer. The biggest difference, however, was in his body language and posture, as well as his gaze. He was standing straighter, with a gleam in his eyes much like the one Lune would get in the laboratory. With a renewed sense of purpose and a great burden off his back, he almost seemed a little younger.

"Well, make sure you take breaks now and again." Lune chimed in. "And do remember to visit. You're two steps away from a Trans Server terminal."

"Will do." he said with a nod. "Now then..."

The former scientist's face then turned to face X.

"I know exactly who you are, though we've never met in person." Thaddeus said. "I'm glad to know that you're back with us."

"I know who you are too." X said with a nod. "Lune and the girls made sure of that. I'm glad we can count on you as well."

"I will try not to disappoint then." Thaddeus said with a nod.

"Now that everyone is here..." X said, going through the notes Cial had prepared for him. "What's the first order of business?"

"With the completion of the extra reservoir, the irrigation system is officially finished for now." Cerveau informed. "We are looking into a possible greenhouse later, but for now we're shifting our focus to housing."

"As you've probably seen on the way here, the development plans continue." a young human girl wearing an old-fashioned yellow hardhat added, before reaching for a remote control.

A large flat screen set against the back wall lit up, displaying a map of the growing settlement. "All the main streets are thoroughly paved and the power grid and water pipes are set up in a way that will allow easy expansion later on."

"The water flowing through the area is exceptionally pure, but as precautionary measures a filtering system and reservoirs were among the first priorities." she elaborated further, pointing to a few spots on the map. "All some distance from each other and with safeguards against possible contamination."

"Looks like things are well sorted." Thaddeus noted.

"Yes." the girl confirmed. "Furthermore, thanks to a combination of solar panels and Dr. Ciel's energy production system, estimates indicate that the current generators would be enough for a settlement five times the present size."

"Promising news, Miss..." X said. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"Anya Garamond, sir." she introduced herself with a nod. "A proud graduate of the Class of Fifty with training in civil engineering."

"Another of Ciel's former classmates then." X realized. "It sounds like there are more of them left than she thought."

"With my father gone, it falls to my grandfather and I to carry on the work." Anya said rather solemnly. "But he's in poor health, so I made the journey alone."

"We're still trying to determine how many made it through all of this." Thaddeus explained. "Still, I'm glad Anselm's girl is one of them."

He paused for a moment, scratched his chin and then the holographic projection of his face stared directly at Cial.

"I know your sister is sick, but how long are you planning to keep wearing that silly mask?" Thaddeus asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Caught by surprise, Cial stammered.

"W-What?"

Lune tried to discreetly gesture at him to change the subject, but he failed to notice. In the back of the room, Phantom and Harpuia exchanged awkward glances.

"The others did mention you were under the weather, but you've been showing up with that thing for the meetings for a while, from what I hear. Are you all right, Cial?"

The former Head Administrator froze in place, unsure how the other Resistance members and civilians would react. Underneath the mask, her composure cracked and she tried not to panic as she prepared to deal with what might happen next. Her mind simply blanked out.

"_Crap..."_ Lune thought. _"I completely forgot to tell him about this. Good thing I planned ahead."_

Cial was then surprised by the reactions of those present, or rather, the complete lack thereof. The discussion continued, albeit a little more awkwardly, but no one made mention of the accidental revelation.

"_What…?"_

The rest of the meeting practically flew by. After its conclusion, once most of the others had dispersed...

"Dear..." Lune said with a smile, placing a hand on Cial's shoulder. "All of your sister's friends already knew who you are. Especially the ones who have been attending the meetings."

"Why..." Cial grumbled, planting the palm of her hand on her face and silently wishing for a hole to hide in. "Why did nobody say anything then?!"

"And ruin the dramatic tension of the big reveal?" Axl jokingly asked. "For shame!"

"Seriously though..." X added. "It was Ciel's idea."

"A laugh at my expense?" Cial grumbled.

"No." Ciel clarified, shaking her head as she stepped into view in one of her usual pink dresses, with a matching scarf draped around her neck. "Just trying to make you as comfortable as possible, given the circumstances. But for the first time since the incident, we got to see the real you out in the open, not just in private."

"What are you doing out of bed?" Cial scolded.

"Don't worry, if you catch it too we'll-"

"I don't care about that." Cial retorted. "You should be resting, you dummy."

"Ironic." Harpuia mused.

"She would need a mask in order to show her true self." Phantom added with a nod. "That does sound like her."

For her part, Cial wasn't sure if she should be happy for the acceptance, or actually find a hole to hide in.

"Honestly, I think it's for the best." X said with a smile. "As you've seen just now, people aren't going to treat you like a boogeyman. Ponder that for now. I need to go look into something."

Meanwhile, not far from them, Anya was leaning with her back against the wall, watching the scene unfold with a smirk.

"Anya." X called out.

She turned her head towards him and nodded.

"Yes?"

"Where exactly is your grandfather living these days?"

"A smaller settlement up north. Why?"

"You mentioned he's been in poor health, right?"

"Yes." she confirmed with a sigh. "Age catching up with him, I suppose."

"I see..."

"I know what you're thinking." Cial intervened. "You said you would let me study it, remember?"

"Study what?" Anya asked.

"A story for another time." Cial said.

"Well, since you're here, let me say this much." Anya said, before taking a deep breath.

"I'm glad both of you made it out of Neo Arcadia in one piece..." she said. "And that you pulled that stick out of your ass."

"W-What?" Cial stammered.

"You were always a far better student than many of us." Anya recalled. "But your one track mind… Some of us used to wonder if you weren't just a robot copy of Ciel."

"Did you come all the way here just to-" Cial grumbled.

"If you'll let me finish..." Anya interrupted. "Some of the others may disagree, but I never thought of you as a bad person, even after some of the things I heard. I'm glad we got to meet again. You're looking much better. Just try to spend a little more time in the sun."

Cial did not have an answer for that.

"And you." Anya added, turning to Ciel. "I'm glad you've found some peace… and such a handsome piece of-"

"Let's not go there..." Ciel muttered, feeling a rush of heat to her cheeks.

"There you are!" Zero called out from behind her. Behind him, Alouette was wagging a finger at her.

"Sneaking out already Big Sis?" the small Reploid girl playfully scolded.

Still watching from a distance, Harpuia quirked an eyebrow while Phantom remained expressionless.

"S-Sorry for making you worry." Ciel said, caught off guard. "But I had the feeling I'd be needed here."

Anya simply grinned as Zero stepped closer.

"If you're going to walk around like that, at least put a coat on." he scolded, taking off the green one that was part of his Resistance uniform and draping it over her shoulders. "Do you want to get worse again?"

"Not… one… word..." Ciel grumbled, feeling a renewed embarrassment as X, Anya, Cial and Lune watched.

"Come on." Alouette said, grabbing Ciel's hand. "Back to bed with you!"

With that, she marched Ciel back home, while Zero tried to suppress a laugh and Lune silently smiled.

"We will speak later." Phantom said as Ciel walked past him and Harpuia.

Later that day...

After a trip through the Trans Server network and a bit of a hike, X stood in front of a one floor house seemingly built out of concrete, seemingly of recent construction. While Cial stood watch a good distance behind, wearing her cloak and breathing mask again, he approached the door and knocked.

"Abel Garamond?" he called out.

"W-What?" an older man's voice answered, seemingly just awakened. "Who's there?"

"I need to speak to you for a moment." X said, lowering the hood of his tunic over his head.

The shuffling of feet echoed inside for a few moments, before the door opened ever-so-slightly.

"Who are you?" the man asked, peeking through the crack with tired gray eyes.

"A friend of Lune, Thaddeus and Anya." X said, not wanting to reveal his identity just yet. "Mind if I come in so we can speak without the door getting in the way?"

"Fine..." the man grumbled. "But make it quick. Finally got some shut eye after nearly a day."

The door opened completely, and X found himself facing a man somewhere in his late fifties, with scruffy black hair already graying at the sides. He was wearing rather old-fashioned gray pajamas and matching slippers. His build was thin, and his calloused hands spoke of many hours of manual labor. His skinny face looked pale and with obvious signs of fatigue. His gray eyes, however, still had an intensity that the years had not worn down.

"I understand you've been in poor health." X said. "I came from Area Zero to try something that may help."

"You came all the way here just for that?" the man asked, a little suspicious.

"It's a long story, but if you're willing to give it a try, I think I can help."

"Fine..." the man grumbled. "I'm tired of sitting around like a bum while my granddaughter is out there working."

"Hold still please." X said, as he called upon the burning in his heart and his open hand became engulfed in white light. "I don't have much experience doing this yet."

"What…?" the man muttered.

The light flowed out freely, cursing through the man's body in a brief flash. Once it subsided, there was already a change. Color returned to his face, and he stood more steadily, visibly invigorated.

"What did you just do?" the man asked incredulously.

"How are you feeling?" X asked.

"I… haven't felt this good in years! What was that?"

"It's a long story..." X said hesitantly. "I have to go. For now though, I would really appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone else."

"I don't know why you'd ask that, but it's the least I could do." the man hesitantly said. "Thanks. Could you just tell me who you are..."

Then the man froze in place, staring at X as realization set in.

"Of course… Lune told me how happy she was to get that outfit ready in time. X… But since when can you do that?"

"I'm still trying to figure out all the details myself." X admitted, flashing a smile underneath the hood. "For now, I'm just glad you're feeling better. We'll talk again later."

As he made his way back with Cial, X felt a very familiar kind of warmth in his chest. The same kind he would normally feel when he had just finished saving a life back in his Hunter days, or when he got to do something for others in general. More than fighting or getting to be called a hero, knowing that he had just been able to make someone's life a little better was what he considered one of the best feelings in life, right along spending time with those close to him and the memory of Alia's smile and voice.

With his heart full, he headed to the nearest Trans Server terminal with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. Cial kept up with his pace, her mind racing as it tried to process what she had just witnessed.

"_I could get used to this… white mage thing."_ X thought, glancing at his hand.

The scene from the original Usul's memories briefly flashed through his mind, but instead of feeling uneasy again, X remained serene and focused. The image of the menacing winged being wrapped in radiance and the strange weapon reminiscent of Ragnarok's cannon no longer unsettled him as much.

"_Keep your Tetractys Grammaton."_ he thought with a confident smile. _"This is all I need."_

Once they arrived back at the settlement, Cial stared at him again.

"Such a simple gesture..." she mused. "A small kindness, but still a miracle in its right. I wonder how it would feel to be able to do something..."

"Like becoming light..." X tried to describe. "Getting to see the smiles around me and being able to change things with my own hands… That makes it all I've endured worth it."

"You..." Cial muttered. "Once, I couldn't conceive the notion of people like you actually existing. I thought your legend a gross exaggeration at best and propaganda at worst… until I got to meet you in person."

"And what do you think now?" X asked, genuinely curious.

"I think I understand you a little better now." she summed it up. "I can definitely see why this strange power would choose you of all people."

"_This warmth… calls out to me..."_ she thought with a sigh.

"Are you all right?" X asked.

"Just a little light-headed." Cial said. "It's been… a long day."

"I'll see you later then." he said with an earnest smile.

Satisfied with his efforts for the day, X went home.

That night, his sleep was tranquil and exceptionally restful as he dreamed of endless adventure in distant, fantastical lands, his mind giving new forms to familiar faces.

In his dream, X saw himself in his blue tunic, striding across a dusty road in arid lands. By his side, he saw Zero in what looked like red traditional Far Eastern robes, carrying an ornate sword of the same style resting in a green scabbard. On the other side, walking alongside them, he saw the twin sisters, wearing elegant scholarly dresses, one pink and one blue, each of them carrying a large old-fashioned tome. Croire was perched on Cial's shoulder, while Ciel was accompanied by some sort of green birdlike creature fluttering behind her. Axl, of all things, was wearing a strange, rather gaudy orange tunic with matching trousers and boots and a crimson feather on his hair. In his hand was a strange weapon, looking like a hybrid between a longbow and a harp.

In a summer day's afternoon, occasionally punctuated by gusts of wind blowing across the landscape, the air shimmered under the heat. A flock of small birds flew overhead.

It was then that X spotted four figures farther ahead on the road, seemingly waiting for them. Then, as he stepped closer, he recognized them.

Fefnir was sporting a sleeveless crimson vest, exposing a well toned chest, with matching shorts and thick leather boots. Next to him, Leviathan stood, wearing a strange blue suit of plate armor with a dragon motif that covered her from head to toe, leaving only her mouth exposed. In one of her hands, covered by gauntlets with claws, she was holding a long lance matching the armor. Phantom, clad in stereotypical ninja garb, simply stood there, nodding ever-so-slightly in acknowledgment. Most surprising of all, Harpuia seemed to have swapped his usual green armor for ornate emerald scholarly robes and an old-fashioned set of glasses and a rapier with an overly elaborate golden hilt.

"You are late." Phantom said, in an unusually curt tone.

"Actually, you are just in time." Leviathan said, flashing a smile underneath the strange helmet. "We were about ready to start."


	21. The Relentless March of Time

Chapter 21 – The Relentless March of Time

Another week passed, with Ciel making a full recovery as expected, just in time to see the first snow of the year.

One lazy morning, she got out of bed and looked outside, feeling a childlike glee at the sight of the white blanket covering the roofs and the streets. Lune had already procured several portable heaters and laid them out across the house and though the construction had been well insulated, the extra warmth was still a nice touch.

With her schedule for the day clear of obligations, she lounged about in her bed, tempted to simply stay there. However, Alouette had other plans.

"It's a beautiful day outside!" the small Reploid girl excitedly shouted as she burst into the room. "What are you doing in bed?"

"Nothing to do today." Ciel said with a shrug. "Might as well sleep in a little longer."

"Aww! C'mon!" Alouette pleaded. "You'll have time for that when you're old!"

Two opposing forces briefly clashed in Ciel's mind – the warm comfort of the bed and the beaming smile of the small Reploid girl who had become like family to her. It was a decidedly one-sided struggle and in a matter of minutes she was reluctantly dragging herself out of bed and switching to full winter clothing.

"_Sometimes I wonder if I wear too much pink..."_ she absently mused as she finished buttoning up a thick coat and tying the laces on a sturdy pair of boots.

After a quick breakfast, she wrapped a fluffy scarf – naturally also pink – around her neck and stepped outside, with Alouette following close behind. The sudden rush of cold air made her feel strangely invigorated after the days spent in bed and she took in a deep breath.

For the next few hours, she tried to live more like a girl her age and less like a genius scientist and burgeoning civic leader, feeling the crunch of the snow underneath her boots, walking around the streets visiting her friends who lived in the area and checking the progress of the expansion work during her absence.

"Just for the record, if you get sick again out of carelessness, I'm not carrying you home." Zero said as she crossed his line of sight, trying and failing to look serious. It was a lie, and he knew it.

"Pants on fire!" Alouette teased, pointing at him with a cheeky grin on her face.

"Quiet in the peanut gallery." Zero playfully said, walking up to the small Reploid girl and lightly pinching her nose.

As she walked past them, Cial watched the exchange in silence.

"_You really would be hard pressed to tell him apart from a human when he gets like that..."_

Truth be told, while it had made her somewhat apprehensive to hear who exactly her sister had developed feelings for, given her own history with Neo Arcadia, Zero and his old companions continued to baffle her on a regular basis.

"_None of this would have been possible without you..."_ she thought, watching Zero as he continued to act more like a carefree teenager than the determined warrior history had painted him as.

Meanwhile…

X finished pinning some notes on a large map that occupied most of the surface of a table in his shared quarters and paused in reflection. Across the map, several spots were crossed out in red ink, usually accompanied by a small sticker with a note.

In the time after first first defeat of Omega, until the sealing of the Dark Elf and the loss of his original body, X had tried to track down as many of the old Maverick Hunter outposts as possible, collecting information that he hoped would one day lead him to Alia's last known location. He had also tracked down a copy of Dr. Cain's archaeological journals, which had helped him locate the site where Dr. Light had once sealed his capsule. The original notes, however, were lost to time, and X had no way of knowing if there was additional information there.

Over the years, he had encountered several other capsules, each containing what looked like holographic recordings of his creator and upgrade parts, laid out in an almost prescient manner across sites that would later turn out to be hotbeds of Maverick activity. While he had never had a definitive answer as to the how and why, he knew that at least Dr. Wily had once created limited AI replicas of himself to be activated in the event of his demise. Both him and Zero had encountered them on a few occasions, but they seemed to have been completely destroyed after their hardware failed or they incurred Zero's wrath.

"_If what that boy said is true, then they could very well still be out there..."_ X mused. _"But where? Right now, the best lead I've got would be whatever's left of the old Hunter HQ."_

For a long time, he had avoided the place. Ruined by a missile strike in the closing days of the Elf Wars, after being assaulted by successive waves of Reploids driven mad by the Dark Elf's power, for a long time it had been the closest thing to a home X had ever known, and its loss had always been, at least in his mind, one of his greatest failures.

His sight wandered to another object on the edge of the table.

"_Guess Zero left in such a hurry he forgot this." _X realized, stepping closer and picking up the Z-Saber.

As he turned it in his hand, X recalled the time when, thinking Zero gone, he had carried it in his honor, gaining a degree of proficiency in its use before returning it to its rightful owner.

"_This was never really my thing."_ X mused._ "He's always made it look so easy…"_

X had never wielded the blade again after the Nightmare incident. After everything he had gone through since then, including the loss of his original body, he couldn't help being struck by a random thought.

"_I wonder if I still remember how to use this…"_

With that, he backed away from the table and ignited the blade, pointing it forward. He held it in place for a moment and then tentatively flourished it.

"First Ciel, now you?" Zero teased, having picked that exact moment to step inside.

Behind him, Ciel let out a soft chuckle.

"Busted, I guess." X said with a playful smile before deactivating the Z-Saber and putting it back on the table. "I guess I always did admire your skill with this thing."

"To be honest, your ability to copy weapons was always a bit baffling to me." Zero said. "If not for the energy limitations, you'd be a walking arsenal."

"With the old Falcon Armor, maybe." X recalled. "But I hope I'll never need those weapons again."

"Better safe than sorry." Zero retorted. "We may finally be enjoying some peace, but I'm not letting my skills rust."

"Make no mistake though." X added. "If anything threatens this peace, I'm not letting you do all the work. Not again."

With that, he clenched his fist and the increasingly familiar white glow enveloped it.

"But even after all the weapons I copied, all the suits of armor and gadgets my maker left me… I'm still discovering new things."

"Well, do let us know if you're going to start walking on water next." Zero joked, before turning his attention to the map on the table. "But by the look of it, you have other things in mind right now."

"Yes." X confirmed with a nod. "I'm heading out again. Back to the old Hunter HQ."

Ciel noticed X tensing up ever-so-slightly as he uttered those words and stepped forward.

"Is something wrong?" she asked with a concerned expression.

"It's… a place I've been reluctant to go back to." X explained. "Too many memories..."

* * *

Meanwhile, in an abandoned facility somewhere in the wilderness…

"You can't be serious." Colbor said, nervously eyeing the corridor in front of him.

The passageway stretching out before him looked like a nightmarish version of an old world game show, with narrow, flimsy-looking metal platforms perched precariously over spike laden pits. Here and there, rusty oil drums swung around at the end of metallic arms mounted on the walls and ceiling.

"I suppose maybe I overdid it just a little bit…" Leviathan conceded.

"A little bit?!" Colbor protested. "Are you trying to train me or are you trying to get me scrapped?"

"Oh laugh it up." she retorted. "X and Zero had to deal with far worse back in the day… and Fefnir and I put a lot of work into this."

"Him being involved isn't exactly reassuring…" Colbor muttered, hesitantly walking to the edge of the first pit.

Leviathan glanced at him and sighed.

"_This isn't getting anywhere..."_

"I wasn't planning on showing you this just yet, but…" she said, stepping to the edge without hesitation.

Then, to his confusion, she turned back to him and opened her arms.

"Maybe this will convince you."

"What are you…" he muttered in confusion, which then turned to alarm as she dropped into the pit.

Colbor had seen up close what that kind of spikes could do, even to a Reploid's synthetic skin and metallic skeleton. Whatever hesitation he harbored gave way to panic as he rushed forward and peered over the edge… only to find Leviathan lying in the bottom of the pit, smirking at him in a surprisingly relaxed position.

"What?!" he muttered in surprise.

"Rubber." she flatly stated. "Did you seriously think I was going to put you in danger just for basic training?"

"So what's all this then?" Colbor retorted. "A laugh at my expense?"

With a scowl, she got back up, climbed out of the pit and stood in front of him.

"Don't be ridiculous." she said, leering at him. "Do you think I'd go through all this work just for a laugh?"

"You're serious…" he realized.

"Of course I am." she retorted. "I just thought having a more realistic training environment would help things along."

"You call that realistic?!" Colbor countered. "I admit, this looks like the kind of crap X and Zero deal with on a regular basis, but what kind of madman even designs places like this? It doesn't look remotely practical."

"You're telling me." Leviathan grumbled. "I lost count of the number of times that idiot copy nearly fell into one of his own spike traps. But that doesn't matter right now."

"What matters right now…" she continued, staring right at him. "Is that we're going to have to find some way to get you to overcome that trauma before you can give it your all."

The Resistance soldier considered his current predicament. He had tried and failed several times to put that fateful encounter with Harpuia behind his back. The others had refused to give up on him, which he was thankful for, but he had grown to resent his own perceived weakness as much as he had resented the Four Guardians for their actions.

"I can't keep going like this." he hissed, clenching his fist. "I refuse to keep being useless… or to turn into a maniac like Elpizo."

Adding to the list of surprises for the day, Leviathan smiled, without the faintest hint of mockery or malice.

"Good." she said. "As I told you before, it's all about the mind, not the specs."

With that, she turned back to the obstacle course.

"Come on. Nothing to fear here. Think you can keep up with me?"

"I suppose… there's only one way to find out." Colbor said, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

* * *

A few days later, after a long trek through deserted lands...

X had avoided this place for a very long time, burdened by the memories of his old life and the friends and companions he had lost along the way. As he stood in front of the half-buried ruins of the old sprawling complex, battered by the elements and nearly forgotten by time, he felt a heaviness in his chest.

Once, X had questioned his maker's reasons for creating him with such human-like traits, which had then been passed along to the Reploids crafted by Dr. Cain based on his designs. The ability to sleep, dream, consume food. The same senses as a human and many similar functions, albeit in a much sturdier, synthetic frame, without the same vulnerabilities – at least on the outside.

For much of his existence, X had sought answers and understanding, and for a time he had even grown to resent Thomas Light for leaving him all alone in the world, grappling with doubts about himself and his purpose and facing regrets and heartache far beyond a human's lifespan. Eventually, he had understood. His maker had always wanted him to be a part of of the world, a part of humanity, and as the first of the Reploids X felt responsible for guiding them to the best of his ability, even after so many had turned against humanity and their own kind.

"_Reploid Jesus, some of them called me…" _X thought, remembering Zero's sense of humor. _"More like a Reploid Adam, if we're sticking to the source material. But the point remains. I'm part of them. They're part of me."_

As he gazed upon the front of the building, still visibly bearing the scars of the Elf Wars, with a large section of the roof missing, some wings caved in and several walls broken or riddled with holes, X once again found himself lost in thoughts.

"_I don't want to believe we're doomed to keep repeating the same cycles over and over again until the sun burns out."_

Casing such concerns aside, he finally crossed the threshold, stepping through the gates of the complex, into a large courtyard. In the center, with some portions covered by moss, X saw a towering metal slab, fashioned from the same Titanium X alloy that formed much of his skeletal structure and armor. Despite the centuries, the silvery metal did not bear a single crack, standing upright in defiance of the elements and oblivion itself.

As he gazed upon the slab, recognition dawned on X. He stepped closer, placing a hand on it and slowly swept his eyes upon its surface, finding countless names engraved on it. Names he recognized. Hunters, one and all, fallen in the line of duty, both during Sigma's Maverick Wars and comparably terrible events that had followed until the sealing of the Dark Elf.

X felt a pang of grief as he read the names and his mind was flooded with countless faces. While he knew on an intellectual level that he couldn't be everywhere and save everyone all the time, such losses had always been a blow to him, even as a rookie Hunter. Centuries later, much had changed in the world, and few people remembered the Maverick Hunters and their sacrifices for the sake of humans and Reploids alike. If not for the ruins of their structures, the technology they had left behind and the last living witnesses of those days, some might think they had never existed at all.

As X pondered this, feeling another pang of regret, the words of the strange armored man came to mind.

"_Your time in this world is long past. Though you perished in the dark, forgotten… someone knows that you lived."_

"You won't be forgotten, old friends." X said solemnly. "Even if I can't build the paradise I hoped to, I'll make sure the world remembers."

With that, he circled the slab and kept walking, past the courtyard and into the battered old metal and concrete main building. The old main door had remained ajar, likely stuck like that after the power generators had been knocked out by the missile strike that had also caved in a portion of the roof.

Walking through the empty halls, with his footsteps echoing in the silence, was an eerie experience for X, who had always seen the place bustling with activity. Whether there was any ongoing crisis or not, the Hunter HQ had always been full of people, both staff and visitors. Through the holes in the roof, beams of sunlight illuminated the abandoned corridors, giving it a hallowed appearance. X kept going until he reached the circular Mission Control room where he had gone through so many briefings before being deployed. In the center of the circular chamber, a holographic projector mounted on the floor had once displayed tactical information. Laid out in a circle around it were several consoles where the operators had once sat, providing guidance.

X recognized one console in particular and hesitantly stepped closer. The old terminal, though long offline, still seemed mostly intact. The black office chair, with an ergonomic design despite the fact that Reploids did not need to worry about such things, was covered in a thin layer of dust, but he had no doubt that it was the same he had once known.

X blew away some of the dust and sat on the chair for a few moments, his mind once again drifting to days long gone. Despite the fact that the place had been abandoned for centuries and the previous occupant of this workstation was long gone, he could almost swear he felt a familiar scent in the air. Hesitantly, as if afraid of breaking something, he lightly ran his hand over the keyboard and gazed upon the screen. After all the time that had passed, he'd thought himself ready to face this part of his past, but he still felt a dull pain in his chest. As he lamented his indecision and wondered what might have been, a sudden tear rolled down his face and he uttered a single word.

"Alia..."

To his surprise, the screen lit up, nearly causing him to jump off the chair.

As X tried to steady himself, he quickly remembered that several of the computers at the HQ were equipped with voice recognition modules for emergency situations, but he had never worked with the Mission Control terminals and thus had no idea that they shared this functionality. All of the models also had emergency batteries, but he had never expected them to last that long.

Compounding his surprise, as he saw the desktop, he found a file that looked like a recorded message. Unsure what he would find, X hesitated only for a fraction of a second before opening it… and a familiar face appeared on the screen, just as he remembered her.

"I don't know how long you'll be out, or if I'll be able to meet you here when you do." the recording of Alia said. "Signas has the feeling that Weil has a few more dirty tricks up his sleeve and has ordered us to scatter."

X felt a shudder as the recording of Alia stared right at him, her blue eyes betraying her anxiety.

"I can't get a transmission to you right now with all the interference and there's a good chance I won't be here when you get back."

Then an abrupt crash echoed in the background, followed by the unmistakable sounds of gunfire.

"Damnit…" Alia hissed, glancing off-screen. "Another horde."

"Alia, we have to go." a familiar male voice urged. "I don't know how long I can hold them off!"

"In a minute." she replied, turning to face someone off-screen before staring back at X.

"I'm heading to Outpost 37 for now." she continued. "But with all the insanity out there and the Dark Elf driving Reploids into a frenzy, the plan could change at any time."

A few more shots were heard in the background, followed by what sounded like a grenade going off.

"Alia…!" the male voice insisted.

"I don't know what you three are planning, but if anyone can put a stop to this it's you." she continued, her tone more urgent. "Signas prepared many hidden places out there for this kind of situation. The files here should help you find me when you're done. Either way, I'll try to get in touch again once it's safe."

X couldn't help noticing – and admiring – how she was still holding herself together. She sat up from the selfsame chair he was occupying and sighed.

"When this is over… we have a lot to talk about. I have to go now. Stay safe out there."

With that, the recording ending. Taking in the words, X searched the desktop and found a set of files, detailing the locations of all active Maverick Hunter outposts across the globe. He had already found some of them during his search, but there were several entries he did not recognize. Too emotionally troubled to study them on the spot, he instead located a wireless interface port on the console and downloaded the entire contents of the hard drive.

"_I'll have to come back here later with more time and maybe some tools…" _X mused. _"This will do for now though."_

As he stood from the chair, he paused for a moment.

"_That voice… I know I've heard it before…"_

Determined to get as much done after such a long absence as possible, he wandered through the ruined hallways until he reached the living area hundreds of Hunters at a time had once called home. As a commander, Zero had insisted on taking one of the rooms closest to the door in order to keep an eye out for threats, so his quarters were the first X came upon.

The ancient metal door gave way after a firm shove and inside X found a simple room with a rather spartan decoration. He had been there many times in the past, playing videogames with Zero and Axl and chatting about random things, and the thought of being back, alone, felt rather strange.

Forgotten on the nightstand, X found an old picture album. Zero's recent stint as an amateur photographer was not completely new, he recalled. Reasoning that his old friend would likely want to see the pictures again, but not ready to look at them in such a place laden with memories, X carefully stuffed the album in his backpack.

X glanced around some more and, to his surprise, he saw that the old console was still on the floor in front of the TV where they had left it before departing for that one fateful mission. Though he was unsure if the thing still worked after so many years, X carefully disconnected the cables, gathered the controllers and the game cases and carefully stowed everything in the backpack as well before moving on.

His next stop was a rec room, where various cupboards had once contained food, spare energy tanks and even some beverages. Though coffee, tea and other drinks did not affect Reploids the same way they did humans, many still enjoyed the taste – especially the sweet ones. What gave X pause, however, was the wide couch, set in front of a large flat screen TV mounted on a wall.

"This place…" he muttered to himself, recognizing the room where he and the others had spent so many evenings together, watching movies and some of the same old animated shows they had so recently introduced to Ciel, Cial, Lune and Alouette.

X looked around, lost in memories once again, until he eventually summoned the willpower to pry himself away and continue on his way. His next stop was his old quarters, where he found several sets of civilian clothing in his wardrobe. Some had been gifts from Alia, while others he had picked himself, back when he had tried to walk around without drawing too much attention. To his relief, the synthetic fibers had held well and he carefully stowed them in his backpack as well, taking a mental note to wash them once he returned home. He also found a couple of Sub Tanks, which would have likely been very helpful to Zero during the battle at Ragnarok and had just lain there forgotten.

"_I still don't know what he was thinking, going up there with just two…"_ X mused. _"But I'd better take these too just to be safe. We don't want to see Ciel crying again, do we?"_

And so, he stowed the Sub Tanks in his backpack as well before continuing on his way. His next stop was Axl's quarters, further down the hall, where he found a whole lot of really old candy, likely inedible by that point, along with a small black remote control flying drone he recalled having seen Axl use to prank Zero on a couple of occasions.

"_Some things never change, do they?"_

X then glanced at the bed and saw something peeking out from underneath. As his eyes compensated for the darkness, he recognized the shape of magazines… and quickly looked away.

"_Yeah, no. Not taking those with me. He can come back for them if he wants."_

Still, he hesitated for a moment. While he was not one to judge Axl for his tastes after all they had been through together, X was also not keen on being seen carrying such material, especially not by a few certain people who had become like family to him since his return.

"_Oh, fine. Let him have his fun. But he'd better not leave these lying around."_

With that, he quickly stuffed them in the backpack as well, along with the drone and the remote controller.

X continued wandering across the hallways until he reached his final stop – a library of sorts, containing not books but rather skill programs used in the training of Reploid recruits. While centuries old and likely outdated, X realized that they would likely still be considerably useful at the burgeoning settlement. Without hesitation, he scooped up as many of the discs as he could find, carefully stuffing the casings in his backpack on top of everything else. He then proceeded back to the main entryway and looked back at his old home one last time.

"_I'll be back one day… And I'll make sure the sacrifices of the Hunters aren't forgotten."_

"I figured you'd come back here sooner or later." a boy's voice said, startling him out of his thoughts.

X looked over his shoulder and saw the same strange boy who had interrupted his second encounter with the strange armored man and his companion.

"You..." X muttered.

"There's something different about you." the boy said, walking up to him. "I'm guessing you've been putting that Shard to good use."

"Just who are you anyway?" X asked.

"Of course you'd be confused." the boy said, smiling at him. "All this time you've seen so much weird stuff, but things keep getting even weirder, don't they? Like I said before, Rock and Roll are old pals of mine."

"But that would mean you've been around for a very long time..." X pointed out. "Just what are you?"

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not a robot like them or you." the boy said. "It's like Caged Light mentioned before. Time flows differently between universes and dimensional travel is a bit of a crapshoot. If you don't know what you're doing or get careless, you could end up a thousand years off the mark… or even end up back in your point of origin before you even left."

"Is that what happened to you?" X asked.

"No." the boy clarified, shaking his head. "I'm human, but I came from somewhere else."

"So that leaves… other Earths?" X pondered.

"Something like that, yes." the boy said with a nod. "I first met those two when they got yanked to another world along with a bunch of other people."

"As for who I am..." he added. "The name's Ness. I used to be just an average kid in an average town until a talking fly showed up one day and things started getting really really weird."

"How weird are we talking about here?" X asked.

"Oh, off the top of my head… psychic powers, time travel, prophecies, an embodiment of evil preying on the minds of humans… and a grand journey with friends."

"And then there's this." the boy added, producing a strange black box, in the shape of a featureless perfect cube.

"What's that?" X asked, still trying to make sense of the boy's words.

"Just a box, some might say." the boy explained. "With it, I once learned to attune myself with the heartbeat of the world thanks to the power of eight very special melodies."

"Is that why you mentioned melodies the last time we met?" X realized.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to send you on a long-winded journey just to find some plot devices. You already have more than enough ground to cover. Besides, you're already on the path of the Warrior of Light. You don't need this."

"So why exactly are you here?"

"I'm here because you're on a journey." Ness explained. "The first step was rejecting the pull of oblivion. Honestly, I would have been very disappointed if you'd given up like that, and so would the others."

"Not my proudest moment by any stretch." X said.

"The second step was reminding yourself that you're not alone and returning to your friends. The third step was accepting yourself and your imperfections. The fourth you are taking now, dealing with unfinished business from your past."

"It's more than unfinished business." X said. "It's..."

"I know." Ness said. "Love."

"I… won't deny it."

"Of course not." Ness said with a smile. "After all, it is the power. The glory. The beauty and the joy of spring. You carried yourself this far, through all the pain, suffering and doubt, because you believed in the world, in its people, in your friends. No, not just believed."

"What… exactly do you mean?"

"You'll understand my words when the time comes." Ness said. "What matters right now is that you keep pushing through. It's not over yet. It probably won't be for some time. But I know you're gonna pull through, Warrior of Light or not."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because no brother of theirs would give up before the end." Ness pointed out with absolute certainty. "I've had my eye on you for a while. You're so much more like him than you realize."

"I want to believe they're still out there, but…" X said. "If you're so sure of this, why haven't I found them yet? Why haven't you?"

"Because they're not kicking about, but they're not gone either." Ness said. "They're in a state between here and the beyond, too faint for me to sense but not quite gone."

With that, the boy let out a sigh.

"They don't know you exist, but they've been waiting for you for centuries. That said, I'm afraid that if they sleep for too long they may end up fading completely."

"And then what?" X asked, unsettled by the implication.

"And then it'll be even harder to find them." Ness said. "You'd have to go… beyond. You still have time though. Your dad built them to last."

X then heard a sudden rustling to the side and glanced in that direction, spotting a young Reploid boy with gray eyes and matching hair in an unruly mane, clad in a child-sized Resistance uniform with green sneakers.

"Menart?! What are you doing here?"

"I guess I was worried about you heading out on your own like that." the Reploid boy said. "What would Alouette say if anything happened to you?"

"While I appreciate the sentiment, she would be just as worried if anything happened to you." X countered. "Besides, I may be old, but I know how to handle myself."

"Don't worry." Ness said. "I'll take him home."

"You do seem to be making a habit of sending lost people on their way." X noted with a hint of amusement.

"That will not be necessary." a familiar voice cut in from above.

"Harpuia?" X called out. "What are you doing here?"

"I merely happened to be… passing by." the Guardian said, landing before X.

"I guess I'm not the only one around here who's a terrible liar." X noted with amusement.

"Fine…" the Guardian admitted. "We were concerned to have you wandering around on your own. Happy?"

* * *

Meanwhile, in a place far removed in time and space…

The man in the strange white armor strode across the worn metallic pavement of a sprawling and very old space station, past crowds of creatures of all possible descriptions. Ignoring the curious gaze of the onlookers, he kept going, past brightly lit storefront signs, shop windows where everything from electronics to strange alien cuisine was on display, until he reached what looked like a stereotypical seedy bar out of a sci-fi movie, populated with rough-looking humans and aliens in outfits ranging from civilian clothing circa the twentieth and twenty-first centuries to futuristic combat armor and more primitive clothing.

Striding with purpose, he continued to the back of the room, where a lone figure was sitting on a single seat couch in front of a circular metal table, where a strange yellow drink was bubbling in a cylindrical glass decorated with a slice of fruit and a long straw. Noticing his approach, the figure casually glanced at him, and visor met visor.

The figure sitting on the couch was tall, clad from head to toe in a suit of hi-tech metallic armor with a yellow body and a red helmet with a green visor. While the suit looked powerful, enough to crush rock and withstand heavy firepower, its design was also possessed of a remarkable, graceful elegance, seemingly agile enough to jump across large distances. Covering the figure's right hand was a green cannon of some sort, casually resting on the table.

"Well, this is a surprise." the figure in yellow remarked, with the voice of a woman, full of confidence and a hint of amusement. "I didn't think someone like you would ever set foot in a place like this… except maybe to bust someone inside."

"Not today." the man in white said, shaking his helmeted head. "Today I'm here to talk to you about business, and I don't think you'd appreciate having to deal with a firefight while you're off work."

"Now there's another surprise." the woman said, even more noticeably amused. "When did you get so articulate? The first time we met you could barely say two words to me."

"Considering the circumstances of that meeting, can you blame me?" the man retorted, a hint of embarrassment seeping into his tone. "But anyway, I need your expertise in order to locate someone… though some might say this would be a job for an archaeologist instead."

"Now you've got my curiosity." the woman said.

"I did some digging around." the armored man explained. "I know you were acquainted. You may not be aware of this because of the time discrepancy between universes but..."

"Ah crap..." the woman grumbled. "It's never simple with you, is it? For the record, I hate inter-dimensional travel."

"I know." the man said with a nod. "But since you're already familiar with him, I thought you might be able to deduce where he might have ended up. I don't expect you to do it for free, of course. I'm prepared to take you and your ship to the vicinity of the world in question, supplement your technology with my own and negotiate proper compensation."

"Must be important if you're willing to come all the way here for a bounty hunter… especially considering your opinion of the trade."

"Anyone who lumps you with the usual scum does do at their own peril." the man said. "But this is no escaped criminal or alien monster. This is a hero… and his family needs him."

"I know plenty of heroes." the woman said. "You're gonna have to be a little more specific."

"Bit on the short side, brave, likes wearing blue and copying his enemies' weapons." the man said. "Ring any bells?"

"Rock..." the woman said fondly. "Gutsy kid with a heart of gold. But what happened to him?"

"Nobody knows." the man explained. "In his Earth, he's been gone for centuries. His brother is looking for him and Roll, but..."

"Blues?"

"No. Apparently there was another brother. You'll know him when you see him."

The visor on the woman's helmet parted just enough for a pair of intense blue eyes to become visible and for her to pull the tip of the straw into her mouth's range. She drained the contents of the glass in one go, then put the glass down and closed the visor again.

"No fees." she said, abruptly standing up. "This is personal. As long as you make sure I don't get stuck in the past or the future or whatever when I try to get back."

"That was… easier than I expected." the armored man said.

"Rock is an old friend." the woman said resolutely. "I owe him for more than a few times."

"There's one more thing." the man said.

"There's always one more thing." the woman retorted. "What is it?"

"There's someone else going around who may be able to help. Some kid in a baseball cap and a striped shirt and shorts. He has a habit of popping up whenever he feels like though, so you may have trouble getting some answers from him."

The woman let out an audible sigh.

"Of course he'd be sticking his nose in this too."

"I take it you know him?"

"You could say that." the woman grumbled. "Not a bad kid, but… he's a bit weird."

"Says the genetically enhanced amazon running around in a suit of armor made by space bird wizards and their super science, who takes on ungodly monsters across the galaxy for a living."

"Smartass." the woman scoffed. "But point taken."

"As for the kid, I've had a run in with him myself." the armored man said.

"Oh?"

"He somehow managed to pop right into my ship too, but then someone else barged in and he escorted them out." the man said, shaking his head. "Some teenager with a ridiculously fast spaceship that can cross dimensional boundaries… and what has to be the worst sense of direction in the multiverse."

"Masaki Andoh." the woman said with noticeable annoyance. "Dumbass almost rammed my ship near Merovingia once."

"He does seem to have a habit of doing that. People have told me similar stories all over. Aitos, Valis, Corneria, Hyrule… I hear he almost rammed into the Sky Palace at one point too."

The woman sighed and took a moment to stretch her limbs.

"Let's get going before that dumbass flyboy decides to blunder in again."

Some time later, as the two walked across the white metal hallways of the armored man's craft they were greeted by his companion, this time clad in a simple azure dress.

"There you are!" she said with a smile.

"It's been a while." the armored woman answered.

"I had the feeling you'd be easy to convince." the woman in the dress said, staring straight at the green visor.

"In my line of work loyalty and gratitude can be hard to find." the armored woman said. "I don't turn my back on my friends."

"Neither do we." the woman in the dress said with a warm smile. "But some things are beyond our skills, Huntress. You can take the helmet off here, by the way. The air is perfectly fine."

"I like keeping it on." the armored woman said. "You never know when something else is gonna happen."

The woman in the dress laughed at the remark and glanced at her armored companion.

"Like peas in a pod."

"What?" the armored man grumbled. "You know I don't like showing my face."

"You don't have that problem around me." she retorted.

"Because it's you." he said before abruptly changing the subject. "I'll go get the dimensional drive ready. Make yourselves comfortable."

With that, he walked away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, the armored woman glanced at her hostess.

"So… Still doing the same old song and dance?"

The woman in the dress smiled.

"It's the slow blade that penetrates the shield… and I have the patience of stone."

"I don't think you need a blade." the armored woman remarked rather dryly. "I think he needs a pair of glasses."


	22. The Masks of Light

Chapter 22 – The Masks of Light

"Sometimes I really feel like kicking myself…" X muttered as he continued making his way back home, with the strange boy following behind. "If I'd gone back there sooner..."

"Hey, cut yourself some slack." Ness said. "You couldn't have guessed she'd leave a message there. From what you told me, things were completely hectic."

"I suppose." X conceded. "But it just feels so damn obvious in hindsight…"

"Now that I finally got to see her face, I can understand even better why you're so bent on finding her." Ness teased.

"It's only proper." X grumbled. "I've already kept her waiting for far too long."

"Yeah, but you're not gonna get anything else done before you've had time to rest your head." Ness countered.

"You have a point." X conceded. "This new data… Signas really planned ahead. Many of these outposts weren't on the maps I had."

"_Wherever you are, old friend… __T__hanks for everything."_ X thought, pausing for a moment.

Ness noticed and stopped to wait for him. In that uninhabited part of the world, with the ruins of had once been a vast urban sprawl overtaken by vegetation, for a brief moment everything was completely silent.

"I should probably ask Cerveau to send in some engineers and pick through the HQ servers for more useful data." X pondered once he finally resumed his stride. "Something to talk to him about when I get home."

X looked at the road ahead. The nearest Trans Server terminal that he knew of was still around a hundred kilometers from their location as nobody had settled in the region since the HQ's destruction. With his mind abuzz, he silently wished he could abbreviate the trek back.

"Well then…" Ness said, as if guessing what was on his mind. "How about I send you on your way a little faster?"

"You mean…?"

"I know you can teleport like Rock, but not while the old satellite network is busted… and I don't know how to fix that." Ness said. "But I can do something else."

"You mean like you did last time?" X asked, feeling rather curious.

"Bingo!" Ness said with a grin, before grabbing X's arm. "Hold on tight!"

With that, the boy broke into a sprint, dragging him along and soon reaching impossible speeds even by X's standards.

"_Is he really human?"_ X wondered in surprise, right before his sight whited out in a flash of light, accompanied by a strange sound resembling a toned down sonic boom.

A blink of an eye later, X found himself standing right outside the settlement once again.

"Is that what that man called… Radiant Translocation?" X asked, a little disoriented from the flash and the abrupt transition.

"Maybe." Ness said, grinning again. "But it's no fun if I hand you all the answers on a platter, is it?"

"I suppose not." X conceded. "Well then… thanks."

"No need to thank me." Ness said, patting X on the back. "Just watch yourself out there… and don't give up."

With that, he sprinted into the distance and soon disappeared in another flash.

"_Giving up is out of the question." _X thought with a smile as he watched the boy leave.

Feeling mentally drained from the long journey and the emotions raging inside him, X proceeded into the settlement proper at a leisurely place. He walked past the temporary school building and the permanent one being built right next door and sat down on a nearby bench. The children had just finished another lesson and were taking a break outside, playing together.

"_Look at them."_ X thought with a fond smile as he watched them and set his backpack down for a while. _"So full of life and dreams."_

Though the children were visibly excited about the game they were playing – with Axl once again acting as a coach of sorts – they eventually noticed X. First Alouette waved at him, then some of the others spotted him. One thing led to another and he soon found himself surrounded by excited children once again, tugging at his sleeve, asking for him to share stories of his adventures. Axl watched from a distance with amusement, having witnessed similar scenes many times before their parting and after their reunion.

Eventually, Rocinolle called the children back to class and they reluctantly parted company with X. Axl then walked up to his old friend and sat next to him on the bench.

"So, buddy?" Axl excitedly asked. "How did it go?"

"I'm such an idiot sometimes…" X muttered, planting a hand on his forehead.

"You don't even come close to my top hundred list." Axl retorted. "But I'm guessing that means you found something."

"Yes…" X confirmed. "Alia left a message and some files in her old Mission Control computer."

"Go on…" Axl said, his face lighting up with a smile.

"My checklist just got a lot bigger." X said. "It looks like Signas had a lot of emergency shelters and hidden supply posts we didn't know about. Alia could have ended up in any of them."

"Oh. By the way." X added, watching Axl's reaction. "I found some of our things in our old quarters. Including some… interesting reading material."

"I suppose we all ended up forgetting some stuff in there back in the day…" Axl said, trying to conceal his nervousness at X's choice of words.

"I'm not going to make fun of you for your tastes…" X said slowly and deliberately with the hint of a mischievous smile creeping over his face. "But I wasn't expecting that."

"What?" Axl retorted, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I was still a kid. Trying new things and all that."

"You'll probably always be one." X said as his smile widened. "Still, that was more the kind of stuff I'd expect to find in Ciel's collection."

"Ah yes…" Axl scoffed. "The one Zero isn't supposed to know about. But you don't have to be a girl to enjoy that."

"Even after all these years you continue to surprise me." X said. "Heartthrob Tales?"

"Yeah yeah…" Axl awkwardly muttered. "But I don't suppose you also…"

"Yes, I also found your Go Nagai Omnibus." X confirmed. "Maybe there are copies in the old library stock, but I hope you won't lose this one again."

"Axl. Real talk." X added. "You..."

"Yeah…" Axl said with a sad smile. "I like playing the part of a clown, but even this clown used to wonder what it'd be like to feel loved."

"I'd say you already are." X said, patting his old friend's back. "Just look around you."

"Yeah… I know." Axl conceded. "I just wish Palette was here… but I know she's not coming back."

Suddenly, a sound resembling a strong gust of wind echoed above their heads and the pair glanced around in time to watch as Harpuia landed in the adjacent playground, carrying a certain Reploid boy on his back.

"Menart!" Rocinolle cried out. "Where have you been?!"

"Field trip." the boy said without a hint of shame as he got off the Guardian's back. "Working on my history assignment."

"You should watch your students a little more carefully." Harpuia advised, glancing at Rocinolle. "The old Maverick Hunter HQ is no place for children to explore on their own."

Menart had no time to say anything before an irate Rocinolle crossed the distance and twisted his ear.

"Fool!" she scolded. "Do you have any idea how worried everyone was?!"

"Ow ow ow!" the boy protested. "I'm fine, really! I just didn't want X to go alone, so…"

X just watched with a bemused expression. From what he had seen of the boy to date, he seemed clever and determined, but his irreverent streak and impulsive nature could definitely make him a handful.

Once again X found his thoughts turning to the old picture of Rock.

"_I wonder if he was like this back in the day too..."_

"You need to learn a lesson in responsibility, young man." Rocinolle scolded. "I'll have to have a word with your parents."

Her expression relaxed slightly and she turned to Harpuia.

"Thank you for bringing him back… and sorry for the inconvenience."

"No inconvenience at all, Madam." the Guardian said with a polite nod. "Merely doing my duty… for the future we share."

"Does that mean you've… reconsidered?" she hesitantly asked.

While she'd initially been on the fence about welcoming the Guardians back, she already had a prior rapport with Harpuia from to his temporary stay at the old Resistance base and she was quite aware of the help the Guardians had tried to provide behind the scenes since their return.

"If you mean moving into the settlement…" Harpuia said with an indecipherable expression. "We are… discussing it further. It will take more than a few token deeds here and there for us to be accepted, you know."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the firing range...

"You're getting better." Zero noted as Ciel hit one of the farthest targets.

In response, she smiled.

"_It still doesn't feel right to see such a sweet girl wielding a weapon, but she would have probably tried to learn this on her own or asked someone else…"_ he conceded, grudgingly accepting the fact… and rather proud of how quickly she was learning.

Then the door opened and Cial stepped inside.

"Oh." she said. "There you are."

Her gaze shifted back and forth between her sister and Zero.

"I wasn't expecting you two to be sneaking off together." she quipped with the faintest hint of a grin.

"We're not sneaking." Ciel retorted, feeling a little embarrassed at the insinuation.

"_So easy to get a rise out of you…" _Cial thought, enjoying her reaction. _"Then again… I guess he's your first, is he not?"_

With a casual stride, she walked up to the table where a crate of Buster Guns and stun clips was lying ajar, grabbed one of each and stepped to the safety railing.

"How about we make this a little more interesting?" she suggested while loading the weapon. Barely taking a moment to aim, she fired a shot and struck a target in the back row.

"When did you…?" Ciel asked, surprised by her precision.

"A girl in my position had to know how to defend herself." Cial said with a shrug. "Nobody was coming to bail me out if things got out of hand."

"We would have." Ciel countered, her next shot grazing the side of a mid-range target. "If you'd asked us to."

"If I'd asked…" Cial pointed out as she lined up another shot, which went a bit wide and struck the back wall. "Back then I thought you'd never want to see me again."

"We're both young and emotional." Ciel countered, taking aim more carefully with both hands. "Even if you try to pretend you're above such things."

"I suppose." Cial conceded, firing a snap shot that hit a close range target. "Maybe sometimes I try to be different just for the sake of being different. To prove I'm not a copy of you."

"_I guess Anya's remark really hit a sore spot…"_ Ciel thought.

"For someone so clever, sometimes you can be really thick." Ciel noted, before finally pulling the trigger again and hitting a target at the very back of the range. "All you need to be is your own person."

"I suppose I can be." Cial conceded. "And I don't connect to people as easily as you."

No longer in the mood to continue, Cial locked the safety, removed the cartridge and placed it and the Buster Gun back in the crate. Ciel glanced at her over her shoulder, put her own Buster Gun down and walked up to her.

"Siblings fight all the time." Ciel noted. "It's almost expected. But I hope you got all that nonsense out of your head for good."

With a sudden mischievous smile, she walked up to her twin and tugged at her cheeks.

"You're too serious for your own good."

"I suppose I am." Cial conceded. "But I have to look out for you and Mother… not to mention our newest little sister."

"You've been doing great so far." Ciel noted, giving her a hug. "Just… try to relax a bit, will you?"

Zero watched the exchange in silence, not wanting to interrupt the tender moment between sisters. However, they had other ideas.

"I know you and Mother like teasing me about my feelings." Ciel remarked. "I admit, I wasn't expecting anything like this to happen back then."

Zero felt a little awkward to hear the two discussing such things in front of him and turned to leave, but Cial stopped him in his tracks.

"You." she called out abruptly.

Surprised, he turned to face her.

"Listen very carefully." Cial said, stepping closer to him. "I shall say this only once."

He gave her a quizzical look as she stared him down and a hesitant smile appeared on her lips, soon followed by an open one, which he had never seen her show before.

"I'm not going to pretend I understand your relationship." she said. "Not completely at least, seeing how I've never been in love. But… paraphrasing my mother… if you continue conducting yourself like a gentleman and give her the time she needs to come of age, then I have no issues with it."

Then a glimmer of steel flashed across her eyes, much like would happen to Lune when she got serious.

"But if you break my sister's heart, you'll answer to me." she added, still smiling.

"I'll… keep that in mind." he said, surprised by how unusually expressive she was being.

"Good. We shouldn't have any problems then." Cial said, before surprising both her sister and Zero by giving him a quick hug.

This too was a change. Zero had never seen her openly show affection to anyone other than her mother and sister, though she had come close with Alouette and X on a few occasions. Before he could say anything, however, Ciel found the presence of mind to crack a joke.

"I saw him first." she teased, earning a chuckle from Cial.

"He's not my type." Cial retorted, playing along before letting him go. "But you do have good taste."

"I was… surprised myself." Zero hesitantly said. "When I realized what was happening to us, I fought it because I couldn't bear to let anyone else get too close. I'm still not where I need to be, but I can't deny that this little genius did a number on me."

"It's weird…" Ciel mused. "Sometimes I can't help wondering if Axl knew this was going to happen when he got us the information that helped us find you."

"I wouldn't put it past him." Zero noted. "But I'm still worried you may be throwing away your chances at a normal life."

"None of us can exactly be considered normal." Cial retorted. "But I'm glad you've been conducting yourself appropriately."

"My sister is still young." she added, glancing in Ciel's direction for emphasis. "And… well, it's good that at least one of you is able to keep their head out of the clouds."

"Sis!" Ciel protested, again feeling a rush of heat on her face.

"_Too easy."_ Cial thought. Though she was being genuine, she was also thoroughly enjoying the reaction.

With that, Cial started heading out.

"I'll give you some space now." she added, still smiling. "We'll have to do this again soon."

"She may try to act cool and detached most of the time…" Zero remarked once she was out of earshot. "But your sister has quite the mouth on her."

"I guess she takes after Mother." Ciel said, smiling despite the embarrassment. "But yes, sometimes she can be as bad as Axl."

"To be fair, considering how easily you get all bothered…" Zero teased.

"You're terrible, all of you!" Ciel protested in mock outrage, playfully punching his shoulder. "Besides, this is your fault… and I'm holding you fully responsible when I'm older."

"Is that a promise or a threat?" he quipped.

"Yes."

"And you were talking about them..." Zero scoffed.

"I guess it runs in the family." Ciel conceded. "But on a more serious note…"

"Hmm?"

"I suppose… I can't stay mad at Leviathan for her taste." Ciel mused. "Only her approach. Maybe I'm learning to be more forgiving now that I stopped being so hard on myself, but… I hope she'll find what she needs too someday."

* * *

Meanwhile, in front of the ruins of Hunter HQ…

"I'm surprised." the armored man remarked as he glanced at the armored woman. "I thought you'd make a beeline for X's notes."

"You should have mentioned that there was someone else missing sooner." she countered. "I hate leaving a job half finished."

"Yes, but Rock and Roll mean something to you." the man pointed out. "Alia…"

"I may have never met her, but if she has ties to that family then that's enough for me. The point of this is getting them all together again, isn't it?"

"My apologies." the armored man said. "I thought that asking you to help find her too would be pushing your goodwill."

"You thought wrong." the armored woman retorted. "Family… is more important than you think."

The armored man froze in place, as if struck.

"I'm sorry…" he said with genuine regret. "That was thoughtless of me."

"My personal history aside…" the woman said. "You shouldn't be so quick to assume. Besides, there's a good chance we'll find some useful information here… and I have my own reasons not to want to meet with X just yet."

"This place…" the armored man remarked, hesitantly stepping through the front gate. "Can you feel it?"

"Ruins." the armored woman remarked, taking point and scanning her surroundings. "The kind where people lived once."

"If these walls could talk…" the man muttered, approaching the memorial slab and running his gauntlet across its surface. "Even after all this time, echoes still linger."

"Are you trying to mess with me?" the woman grumbled. "I'm not afraid of ghosts, but this place already feels heavy enough without that kind of talk."

"I definitely wouldn't come here without a good reason." the man noted, his discomfort apparent in his tone. "These abilities… this sensitivity… They can definitely be a curse sometimes."

"If you're not up for it, you can just go back and wait." the armored woman retorted, briefly gazing upon the slab before resuming her stride. "Isn't this why you asked me to come?"

"I got you into this." the man countered, keeping pace with her. "That means anything that happens to you here is my responsibility."

"You do know who you're speaking to, right?" she asked, sounding a little irked.

"Of course I do. That's why I went looking for you in the first place."

"Then calm down and let me do my thing." she said, approaching the door to the main complex. "Nothing in this deserted ruin is remotely a threat to me."

Once they reached the interior, both of them paused, spotting footprints in the dust.

"Somebody's been here recently." she noted. "What do you make of it?"

"Adult-sized boots." the man hazarded a guess. "Slow. Pondered."

"Hesitant." she added, pointing at the trail. "They took their time and stumbled here and there. But they didn't randomly blunder around. They knew where they were going."

"I could stand to learn a thing or two from you." the man said, genuinely impressed.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." the woman answered in a mischievous tone.

"Just... stating facts." he retorted, shifting uncomfortably at the remark.

"It's too easy to get a rise out of you kid." she scoffed.

"W-What…?"

"There are things you can't hide with the suit and the voice modulator." the woman elaborated, her tone betraying her amusement at his reaction. "Even with that time relativity bullshit, I know you're not as old as you try to look."

"You really are the best at what you do." the armored man said with genuine admiration.

"You still have a ways to go kid…" she retorted as they followed the footprints to the Mission Control room. "But I have to respect your dedication."

"Some might call it obsession." he remarked. "But I just can't put this matter out of my mind."

"I know." she said. "It's not the first time I've seen you go out of your way like this."

As they glanced upon the consoles arranged around the central holographic emitter, her stance shifted and her green visor lit up, seemingly scanning the entirety of the chamber piece by piece.

"Now just sit tight and let me do my thing."

Stepping back to give her some space, he ended up leaning with his back against a pillar to watch her work, not noticing that said pillar was horribly cracked. After a few moments, a portion of the ceiling rumbled ominously and both of them tensed up.

"Crap…" he hissed, glancing over his shoulder and realizing what he had done.

Feeling her glare, even through her visor, he sighed.

"I think I'll just… find something else to do outside." he hesitantly said.

"You should." she retorted, slightly annoyed.

Once the armored man had stepped outside, the woman let out a sigh.

"I guess I'm a sucker for kids with hearts bigger than their heads…" she grumbled under her breath. "You'd better not have ended up a pile of scrap somewhere, Rock..."

Some time later, after the woman's sophisticated suit of armor had finished interfacing with the computers and scouring them for useful data, she glanced around.

"_A place like this should also have reference databases…"_ she pondered. _"Best to take another look around."_

* * *

That night, as the former Head Administrator stepped outside to get a breath of fresh air after a long day of planning and coordinating logistics and construction projects, she spotted a strange figure outside, clad in an odd suit of armor, clearly advanced but with a design that seemed like a cross between medieval and futuristic, evoking the knights of old, but without any visible seams.

"_What…?"_

Then she realized that the black visor on the armor's helmet was fixated on her.

"Can I help you?" she asked, slightly unnerved by the unexpected apparition.

"My apologies. I mistook you for someone else." the wearer said. Male, she realized, though the suit also seemed to lightly distort the voice, making it difficult to discern much else.

"Ciel, right?" she deduced without skipping a breath.

"I was not aware she had a twin." the stranger remarked.

"And you are?" she asked, rather perplexed by his appearance, clearly out of place.

"Just a tired traveler." the stranger said. "My path and hers have crossed before. Say, do you know where I can find X?"

"He's not here right now." she answered, a little suspicious of the figure's strange appearance.

"Pity." the man said, noticeably disappointed. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"Possibly tomorrow." Cial said. "What is this about?"

"A matter of his interest. Thank you. I'll be back later then."

The figure turned to leave, but Cial felt something strange about his presence that she couldn't quite put into words.

"Wait." she called out.

The figure stopped in place and looked back at her.

"It's you, isn't it?" Cial deduced. "The one who showed up at the buried library… and when that crystal fell from outer space. The so-called paladin?"

"Yes… Why do you ask?"

"I have… questions."

"About the Warriors of Light, you mean? I don't know how much I can tell you that you wouldn't learn from that Radiant Shard."

"I'm not even sure if I can activate that thing…" she said. "Also, I must confess you and your lady friend intrigue me as well."

"Why is that?" he asked, sounding a little surprised.

"If what you said is true, and you have the ability to travel between worlds… and beyond…" Cial wondered. "Why exactly do you do the things you do?"

"Because I cannot stand the suffering of others… and because while all of you are firmly grounded on this world, I don't belong anywhere. That means every place is my responsibility."

"Excess empathy and unrestricted movement…" Cial noted. "It sounds more like a curse than anything else."

She sighed and looked intently at him.

"I do not know why I am telling this to a complete stranger, but sometimes… Sometimes I fear that my sister may one day awaken to that power… and leave this world behind. Leave me behind."

"Perhaps it is because I am a complete stranger." he mused. "Someone you have no attachments or obligations to. Someone you may well never see again."

In his tone, Cial sensed something strange, beyond the voice modulation that made it difficult to discern his age or whether he was even human at all. Before she could formulate a thought, however, he spoke again.

"Neither your sister or X would not do such a thing." the armored figure said with conviction. "I have already taken the measure of their character. I think neither of them would know what to do with themselves without the people they care for."

"You are probably correct." Cial conceded. "As for the feeling of not belonging anywhere… I too suffered from that until recently."

The figure stayed silent, allowing her to continue.

"My sister and I had some… disagreements and were estranged for a time." she elaborated. "And then everything we had worked so hard to build was torn down… in part by our own hands. It did not fully hit me how much I had missed her and my mother until I had them in front of me again."

"Is something the matter?" the armored figure asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"Maybe I am just tired." she said. "The last few years have brought so many changes to our lives and to the world… but now I finally feel like I am where I belong."

"Maybe one day I will have the same good fortune." the stranger mused. "But for now I will leave you to your rest. If you still wish to talk, then we can do that after you've had a good night's sleep."

"So you're not leaving again?" she asked, a little surprised.

"Not just yet. I'm here to see what I can do about X's predicament, and I brought… some outside help. We'll speak again soon."

"Wait a minute…" Cial said, realizing what she had just done.

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed. But for the record, I'm glad for all of you. You've already accomplished far more than I could ever hope to."

And with that, the figure disappeared in a burst of light, reappearing some distance away from the settlement, away from prying eyes.

"I'll try again tomorrow." he said to an unseen interlocutor. "Are you sure you don't want to meet him?"

"Not yet." the Huntress replied through whatever communication system they were using.

"You've been very reluctant about approaching him. Why is that?"

"This planet has more buried ruins than most I've ever been to." the Huntress pondered. "I have plenty of recon to do before I can even begin to think about the rest."

"Meaning you don't want to make any promises before you know what you're talking about."

"Something like that."

"Help yourself to our scanners." the armored man offered. "It's definitely a lot of ground to cover. You see why we needed an expert like you."

"And what are you doing in the meantime?" the Huntress asked.

"Well, since you don't like working with people hovering around and looking over your shoulder, I think I'm going to try to supplement our arsenal with some… unconventional methods. I did ask you to come here, and I hope you won't be offended, but… as you said, we've got an entire planet to search."

"Suit yourself." the Huntress retorted with a surprising intensity in her tone. "In this case getting results is all that matters. Just let me know the minute you find anything. Anything at all."

"Are you all right?" he asked, with genuine concern.

"What?" she asked in turn, caught by surprise.

"There's another reason why you don't want to meet X just yet, isn't there?"

"This isn't the kind of conversation to have remotely." the Huntress said, seemingly caught off guard by the remark. "But it's… like looking at a ghost. Or at a grown up version of Rock, at least."

"I understand." the armored man said earnestly. "I won't pry, but if you need to…"

"What, are you trying to buddy up to me now?" the Huntress scoffed.

"Hey!" the armored man protested. "I'm just…"

"I know." she answered, her tone slightly softer. "I guess I shouldn't yank your chain too much. You may have changed a bit since last time, but you're still soft and take things too seriously."

"I guess I'm not so different from X in that regard." he pondered.

"Is that why you crossed dimensions to get help for someone you barely know?" the Huntress pointedly asked.

"This isn't the kind of conversation to be having remotely." he retorted, echoing her words. "But I guess you're right. There are things the suit can't hide."

"Don't worry kid." she remarked. "I'm not gonna spill it."

"Sometimes I do wonder…" the armored man mused. "If I could just settle down in a world like this and forget about everything else."

"I may not have weird abilities like you and Ness, but…" the Huntress said. "Not likely. People like us can never get a break for long, and we'd probably go crazy trying to live a normal life."

"Do we… even have the right to try?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" the Huntress snapped. "We're people too, kid. If you run around putting out fires without sparing a thought for yourself, you're just digging yourself an early grave."

"We may not be normal…" she continued, her tone less scolding and more concerned. "But we need to pace ourselves, kid. You're still young."

* * *

Around the same time, inside Ciel's home...

Cial stepped inside, closed the door and started making her way to bed. As she walked past the living room, she stopped, smirking in amusement at the sight that greeted her.

While Zero lay on the couch, having dozed off under a blanket, Alouette was sitting next to him, braiding his mane with a mischievous smile.

Coming out from her room, Ciel stopped in place to watch as well, struggling not to laugh.

"Might as well tie a bow while you're at it." she suggested with a snort, trying to keep her voice down.

"Maybe some pigtails?" Cial suggested.

Alouette simply chuckled in response.

Ciel stepped closer smiled fondly, looking at his resting face.

"_Look at him… so peaceful."_

Then another thought crossed her mind and she lightly ran a hand over his mane.

"_It may be synthetic, but some girls would kill to have hair like that."_

Another thought soon occupied her, however. Even though they had known each other for over three years, it still surprised her to see him like that, without his helmet, dressed like a normal person and so utterly relaxed. Once again, she felt a pounding in her chest and an unbidden impulse crossed her mind.

"_No."_ she thought, immediately pushing the notion aside, ashamed to even think such a thing after the incident with Leviathan.

Instead, she lightly caressed his cheek and watched him for a while longer.

"_I can wait… as long as it takes."_

Eventually, she decided to head to bed, hoping to clear her head with some rest.

"_You've got it bad, Big Sis."_ Alouette thought with a mischievous smile as she watched her leave.

Pausing to admire her handiwork, the small Reploid girl giggled softly.

"_He's in for a surprise when he wakes up."_

"Pranks aside, you do have talent for those things." Cial noted as she stepped closer to take a better look, just barely maintaining her usual inscrutable composure.

"I can do yours next if you want." Alouette with a smile.

"Maybe when I have a little more for you to work with…" Cial remarked, pointing at her shorter hair.

"Glad you stopped wearing that mask around, by the way." Alouette said. "It was creepy."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the wilderness next to the outpost the Four Guardians had claimed for themselves…

"I'm impressed." Leviathan said with a smile as she walked alongside Colbor. "You're a quick learner once you manage to break through the anxiety."

"You… give me too much credit." he said dismissively.

"Oh hush." she scolded, raising a finger. "When someone is complimenting your progress, you take it."

"Y-Yes Ma'am…" he said, suddenly stiffening up.

"And now you're getting wound up again." she said, shaking her head with a disappointed look on her face.

"I guess I still have a long way to go…" he said, a little downcast.

"One step at a time." Leviathan said. "For now, let's leave that obstacle course aside. We need to find a way to help you keep your cool in tense situations."

"And this is where I come in." Fefnir announced, stepping out the door.

Noticing the mortified expression on Colbor's face, the fiery tempered Guardian cast a quizzical look at him.

"What?"

"W-Well, after the scare your sister gave me on the first session I suppose…" Colbor hesitantly said.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that." Fefnir retorted with a laugh before glancing at Leviathan. "Sis, make sure you get it on camera next time."

"Don't be a jerk, Fefnir." Leviathan scolded. "You promised to help with this without your usual monkey business."

"Fine." Fefnir huffed, before loudly cracking his knuckles. "Let's get down to business."

The crimson-clad Guardian appraisingly eyed Colbor, circling around him.

"By the time I'm done with you, I expect you to be able to beat a hundred of those Pantheon tin cans."

The intensity in Fefnir's stare and his unsettling grin made Colbor momentarily question his life choices, but his decision was made.

Meanwhile, some distance away, Axl watched the whole thing unfold, struggling to contain his laughter.

"_Didn't think you had it in you Colbor!"_ he thought with a grin. _"Who knows? Maybe you'll be the one to help __her__ move on."_

Later that night, as Colbor made his way back to the settlement, Axl popped out of nowhere, causing him to jump with a start.

"Ah!" Colbor cried out before he realized what was going on. "Oh, it's you. How the hell do you keep doing that anyway?"

"I'm Batman!" Axl retorted with an exaggeratedly deep voice.

"What you are is a troll." Colbor grumbled. "But I'm guessing you didn't come all the way here at this hour just to mess with me."

"Well, no." Axl said with a grin. "Just wanted to congratulate you."

"For what?" Colbor asked, genuinely confused.

"Oh, you know." Axl said, still grinning. "Private lessons?"

"So you know about that…" Colbor said a little defensively. "What about it?"

"Seriously." Axl said with an earnest smile. "I'm happy for you man."

"Let me stop you right there..." Colbor remarked, fully aware of Axl's reputation.

"I know what this is." Axl countered. "The beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"I wouldn't go that far…" Colbor said, clenching his fist. "But for now I just don't want to be useless anymore."

"Dude…" Axl interjected, all trace of humor gone from his face. "Stop it. You're not useless. You're not. You're not helping anyone by thinking that way."

"It's going to be a while longer until I can actually believe it." Colbor lamented, before his expression became a little more serene. "But I think… I think I'm on the right track."

"I've gotta admit." Axl said, looking unusually pensive. "I wasn't expecting that from Levi."

"That makes two of us." Colbor admitted. "Of her own initiative, no less."

"Some of us did have hopes they'd end up joining us one day." Axl pointed out. "Maybe you'll end up being the first of many."

"Honestly, I think we rank and file could use the training." Colbor admitted. "I'm still not sure why she'd make this offer to a nobody like me but…"

"Maybe because she saw something in you that you couldn't see in yourself." Axl remarked, surprising the Resistance soldier with his insight. "I know I talk a lot of crap, but I have an eye for some things."

"I'd appreciate it if you kept it between us, at least for now." Colbor said. "I still don't know where this is going and don't want people to get the wrong idea."

"Gotcha buddy." Axl said with a grin, giving him a thumbs up. "Just let me know if I can help with anything."

* * *

The next morning, as X finally emerged from the shack he shared with Zero, he was surprised by the sight of the armored man standing outside.

"It's… been a while." the stranger hesitantly said. Even through the suit and the altered voice, X could tell that something was off. The outsider seemed tired and somewhat downcast.

"It has." X said with an open smile. "But is something wrong?"

"I've just… returned from a long journey." the stranger said. "I suppose I need some time to gather my thoughts, but this takes priority."

"So, what brings you here?" X asked.

"I know what you've been doing." the armored man said. "Your search."

"Oh?"

"I can't… promise anything, but… there's someone who may be able to help us."

"Us?" X asked.

"There are others who sympathize with your predicament." the armored man said. "I know it's none of my business, but I have some contacts who may be able to help in some way."

"I wasn't expecting that." X noted. "Then again, I still never know what to expect whenever you show up."

"I suppose a small part of me may enjoy leaving people wondering." the armored man mused, sounding a little amused. "Anyway, do you have time for a little trip?"

"What exactly do you have in mind?"

"It's probably best if I just show you." the armored man said. "Walk with me, would you?"

The armored man led X outside the settlement, seemingly taking his time to take in the scenery.

"So what have you been doing out there all this time?" X asked along the way, trying to strike up a conversation.

"The usual. Trying to find myself while giving a hand here... and there... and everywhere."

"How's that coming along?"

"It's not." the man said, noticeably tired and frustrated. "Sometimes I feel like I'm on a fool's errand. You put out one fire, five more pop up elsewhere."

"I know a thing or two about running yourself ragged." X noted. "Maybe you should slow down a bit?"

"I suppose. But my work isn't going to do itself."

"I used to be like that." X pointed out. "If trying it on one world was madness, then I can't even find a word for what you're doing."

"Life would be a lot easier if I could simply shut down like a machine for a while. But pay no heed to my ramblings. We are here for your sake."

The armored man abruptly paused and his gauntlets lit up, not with the increasingly familiar white light but with a rather nebulous, golden radiance. Then he thrust his palms forward and uttered something in a language X did not recognize – commanding words that seemed unfit for the mouth of a mortal.

As the armored man finished the final utterance, a ripple appeared in the air in front of him and then it seemed as if the fabric of space itself receded, revealing a hallways as if an invisible door had been thrown ajar.

"What's this?" X asked, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"A sacred place seen by few." the man said. "Go on. I'll be right behind."

Though slightly unnerved by the display, X felt his curiosity winning over his hesitation and he did just that. As he stepped through the threshold he suddenly felt as if he had crossed a vast distance with a single step and his surroundings shifted.

X found himself in a strange garden underneath a cloudless sky, surrounded by abundant grass and a myriad of plants he had never seen, from shrubs and flowers to tall trees laden with fruits he had no name for, all of them impossibly beautiful. The landmass where they were standing had visible edges, and from what X saw it appeared to be floating over an endless sea of clouds.

"_Where am I?" _he wondered.

He hesitantly glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the armored figure follow, and a moment later the conjured passageway disappeared as if it had never been there.

"Don't worry." the armored man said. "I'll open the way again when it's time to leave. You are among friends here."

"What is this place?" X asked in awe, just as a flock of multicolored birds flew overhead.

"The Librarian's Garden." the armored man simply said. "Come. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

After a few moments walking over the pristine grass, taking in the scent of flowers and admiring the almost unnatural beauty of the garden, the two came upon a large wooden gazebo where a wide table was set. The figure sitting on a garden chair behind the table seemed to notice their presence and X felt a pair of eyes upon him.

"This is new..." a male voice said with a cultured accent. "Not only did you come to visit, but you brought a friend."

In front of him, X saw what looked like a man of indeterminate age, tall, fit, with dark hair and a slightly pale complexion, wearing what looked like a white toga over a strange golden suit of armor of archaic design and masterful craftsmanship. His eyes glowed with a soft blue light as he surveyed the newcomers.

On the table before him was a series of hardcover books, the largest and most prominent of which was lying open in the center, next to a small tray containing what looked like a large teapot and a cup on a small dish.

"You know how inter-dimensional travel messes up one's perception of time." the armored man said in lieu of justification. "Besides, I'd say you have plenty here to entertain yourself with."

"Regardless, even if you are not here about the matter I asked for your help with, it is good to know that you are unharmed." the man said, standing up.

"Unharmed… but still incomplete." the armored man lamented. "But I am not here for my own sake."

The strange dark-haired man then turned to X, the semblance of a smile appearing on his face.

"I know who you are, of course. It is past time we spoke in person."

There was something familiar about the man's voice, though X was sure they had never met before. He was sure he had heard it somewhere, and relatively recently.

"But where are my manners?" the strange man continued, rising from his seat to offer a polite nod. "I am Raziel. Welcome to my domain."

"_Unusual name…"_ X pondered. _"And this place… Wait..."_

It was then that recognition dawned on X and he tensed up as one particular memory shown to him by the presence in the Radiant Shard returned to the forefront of his mind. A day of destruction, brought about by a figure wrapped in light.

"Is something wrong?" the armored man asked, glancing at X.

"You tell me..." X said, glancing back at him. "I think I already know your friend from somewhere."

"You what?" the armored man asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Oh?" Raziel asked. "Do tell."

"I'm still not sure what I saw, but the words rang clear as day." X said with a frown, staring intently. "Tetractys Grammaton."

The man smiled again and his response confirmed X's suspicions.

"Ain Soph Aur."

"Infinite Light?" the armored man asked. "What's this about?"

"One of my youthful indiscretions." Raziel said with an indecipherable expression, staring directly at X while resting his elbows on the table with his fingers intertwined. "I did hear about the Radiant Shard that fell into your world. That confirms who its creator was."

X knew then and there that despite the placid appearance and odd mannerisms he was dealing with someone incredibly dangerous. He did not know what to think of the whole situation and while he was not afraid, he definitely felt uneasy.

"So you don't deny it?" X asked.

"Why would I?" Raziel retorted, parting his hands before clasping them together again. "It happened, by my own hand… and it needed to happen. You may have caught a glimpse of the events of that day, but you have no idea what that ridiculous conflict was doing to that world."

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"The three most powerful nations of that world and their rulers lost all reason at the prospect of power stemming from knowledge they did not earn." the strange man countered, surprisingly calm as he sat back down and took another sip of his tea. "They were never going to best my countermeasures in their lifetimes, but in the process of fighting for that one page they brought their world to the brink of ruin."

The strange man then turned his gaze back to X.

"I can understand that someone like you would be reticent about such things. Horrified, even. Admittedly, I can be fiercely protective of my work, but with good reason."

"Quite the dangerous friend you've got here." X said, glancing at the armored man.

"You could be considered dangerous as well." the armored man said. "So could I. I doubt either of us could compare, if we're going on destructive power alone, but there's more to him than that."

"And how does the original Usul tie into all this?" X asked.

"It is as others have probably told you by now." Raziel said with a nod. "Even in the span of infinite infinities, those touched by the Light frequently cross paths. He did attempt to defuse the situation, though it was not his world and he had no obligation to do so, but it was far too late."

"What did you do?" the armored man suspiciously asked.

"He wiped out their armies in a scene right out of scripture." X said.

"I wonder…" the armored man added, glancing at Raziel. "Is that why you asked others like me to seek out the remaining pages in your stead?"

"Among other reasons." Raziel said. "Or are you going to deny that the search you undertook on my behalf has benefited you as well?"

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"My training is… incomplete." the armored man said. "And so am I."

"This young man here means well, but he is woefully lacking in some areas." Raziel explained. "His mentor did not stay with him for long and even now his absence is felt."

"This… Actraiser, was it?" X asked. "The copy of Usul mentioned that there were some out there who thought him a Primal, whatever that was."

"Ah yes, Primals." Raziel said, resting his chin on his closed fist.

As he continued to speak, the pages of the larger tome turned on their own, until they settled on a segment featuring otherworldly beasts with a combination of human and beastly features. A towering, musclebound demonic creature with crimson skin, a lion's mane and prominent black horns. A bulbous stone giant with a grotesque face and massive arms. An impossibly beautiful woman with blue skin, wearing clothes that left very little to the imagination. An old sage, clad in robes and clutching a gnarled staff, with an impossibly massive white beard hanging in front of him as he cast a stern glare.

As the pages continued to turn, the creatures became more unsettling and outlandish in appearance, some clearly modeled after dragons or embodying cataclysmic forces. Then, the pages abruptly stopped, displaying two menacing beings with vague forms, one black, one white, seemingly grappling in an endless conflict as everything around them burned.

"A blight once upon a time, parasites robbing worlds of life and reason, now relegated to the pages of history and legend." Raziel said.

The page turned again and showed a different scene. A man, wearing an archaic suit of armor of a familiar design and wielding a pair of blades, one wrapped in white flame and the other in black, striking both fiends down with their opposites.

X leaned closer to take a better look and his eyes widened.

"_Is that who I think it is?"_

"I knew the Actraiser better than most, before his disappearance." Raziel added. "He was… is... no Primal."

Then Raziel casually waved a hand over the open tome and the pages turned again until they reached the drawing of an old stone statue, holding a sword aloft. Compared to the strange creatures from earlier, it looked very much human, like an ancient work of art celebrating some sort of warrior or king of ages past.

"A being even older than the Primals." Raziel elaborated further. "Strengthened by faith, but of an entirely different nature. Benevolent, some might say to a fault. Quick to give of himself for the sake of mortals. You could almost call him a prototypical Warrior of Light."

"I still don't know his full history." the armored man said. "Only that he is unfathomably ancient. I have never seen his true form, but he took to inhabiting stone statues crafted by his followers, putting evil to the sword and protecting the innocent, before disappearing until needed again."

"It sounds like you may have picked up some of his habits, then." X remarked. "But what happened to him?"

"Nobody knows." the armored man said with a shrug. "When I was but a lost child, wandering across the infinite infinities, I came upon him on a distant primitive world. He taught me a great deal about the Path of Light before setting out on a quest of his own, but he did not share the details."

"I think I'm beginning to understand you a little better." X noted. "Even if our methods and worlds are different, we have a few traits in common."

"We do." the armored man said with a nod. "The fact that you share this power may have led me to you, but your character intrigues me much more."

"Just how long has it been to you since the last time we met anyway?" X asked.

"Five years." the armored man said with a shrug. "Possibly a little more. It's incredibly easy to lose track."

"You don't sound all that concerned." X pointed out, pondering the implications. "If you're human, doesn't it worry you that you might burning away your lifetime without even realizing it?"

"Not quite." the armored man said, before hesitantly reaching for his helmet, slowly removing it.

Much to X's surprise, he saw the face of a boy, seemingly not much older than Ciel and Cial, with short dark brown hair, matching eyes and a soft face, though the tone of his skin definitely seemed excessively pale, likely from spending so much time completely covered. He also definitely looked incredibly tired, with dark circles around his eyes and other telltale signs of lack of sleep.

"As you can see..." the boy said with his true voice. "I age extremely slowly. A side effect of being exposed to the Light and some other powers along my journey."

"I… wasn't expecting that..." X said. "But why the suit?"

"I like it." the boy said with a shrug. "The original design may not have been mine, but I've made extensive improvements over the years. It keeps me safe, it's incredibly sturdy and useful and..."

Then he smirked.

"How many people do you think are going to take some kid seriously?"

"Some people consider Ciel and Cial kids, but look at them." X pointed out.

"Even with this power, I just don't have their presence… or yours."

With that, the boy put the helmet back on.

"I suppose I can be… rather self-conscious about letting others see my face." he added, though he kept the voice modulator switched off. "Part of the whole… not belonging anywhere bit."

X took a moment to process this and then gave his honest opinion.

"You're definitely not normal… but I suppose the same can be said for most people I know."

Then another thought crossed his mind.

"And that woman who was with you before?" X asked.

"If you mean what she truly is, that's not my business to tell." the boy said rather reverently. "As for what she is to me, that is difficult to describe. We've been traveling together for a very long time and while I'd like to say that we've fostered each other's growth, the truth is I rely more on her than she does on me."

X couldn't help noticing the shift in tone and wondered if there was more to it.

"I… might not have approached you if not for her encouragement." the boy hesitantly admitted. "It's still not something that comes easily, but I'm… slowly getting better."

"But on the subject of oddities." X said, turning to Raziel as he recalled one particular part of the preserved memory. "Who exactly is this Altima?"

The man's brow curled into a frown and he slightly bared his teeth, clenching his fists on the table.

"So you heard that too. Of course."

The shift in demeanor was obvious, and X couldn't help feeling a chill in the air as the strange man emitted a nearly palpable aura of hatred.

"Altima is filth." Raziel hissed, abruptly standing up, quivering with anger. "A fiend who thinks herself a deity. Worse than the Primals. Worse than anything you can imagine. You have no idea the kind of havoc her delusions of grandeur and her manipulations have wrought across creation."

As he spoke, X noticed his entire body becoming alight with the increasingly familiar white light, almost as if catching fire.

"Her greed is boundless and her crimes innumerable." Raziel hissed, while the light coalesced around his back. "She and two other fools whose names I shall not utter once attempted to steal the Ozar Midrashim for themselves. She enticed them into it, but all of them are scum."

Then the light took the shape of six feathered wings behind his back and the azure radiance in his eyes became almost unbearable to look at.

"And as the Keeper of Knowledge, it is my sworn duty to put a stop to those who toy with things beyond their paltry comprehension. Things that could burn worlds."

X's eyes widened as he realized what he had in front of him. Not a mere man, but what looked like an angel from ancient scripture.

"You..." X said. "You are..."

"Yes." he said with a polite nod as he placed a hand over his chest. "Raziel, sometimes called Hamalakh. Keeper of Knowledge, shepherd of mortals, patron of scientists, scholars and truth seekers."

"And notoriously bad tempered when someone messes with his books." the armored boy jokingly remarked as Raziel sat back down and calmed himself with a deep breath. "I can relate. But… back to the reason for our visit. Go on, X."

"I'm on a search for truth myself." X said. "The truth of what happened to my siblings… and to someone… close to me."

"You do not need to mince words." Raziel said, all trace of hatred gone from his tone and posture. "My sight reveals your nature and my tome lays your life story bare."

"Really now?" X asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Unfortunately, I must reiterate, I am not omniscient." Raziel reminded. "There may be methods of locating those you seek, but I will need time to seek them out. If the knowledge required is contained anywhere within my repository, I will find it eventually, but those you seek are neither living or dead. That complicates things."

"That's more or less what Ness told me." X recalled. "Just what is he anyway?"

"Another of our kind, as you've probably guessed." the armored boy said. "I'm not familiar with him personally, but I'd bet he's older than he looks too."

"When you say our kind…" X said.

"Touched by the Light." the armored boy clarified. "Human, like me. I told you before, I'm human. Not a robot, and definitely not one of the Thousand Myriads… at least not for now."

"For now?" X asked.

"For those who seek long enough, the ability to change one's appearance to reflect their nature… or their nature itself... eventually becomes attainable." Raziel clarified. "There were men and women in the past who ascended into the ranks of the Thousand Myriads or became primal forces attuned to other powers. There were even synthetic life forms in the past who found ways of reforging themselves into living flesh. Such mysteries will become clearer in time, should you choose to pursue them."

"No offense…" X said, noticeably uncomfortable. "But after seeing a certain copy's pretentious ornaments, I don't think I'd want to wear wings. In fact, after all the changes I've already been through… I hope to stay the way I am for a long time."

"None taken." Raziel said. "After all, many are the paths of power. Bearing limitless potential also means being able to choose whether to change or to stay the same."

"Limitless… potential?" X pondered with a haunted look on his face. "That's exactly what my maker… and others have said of me. Limitless potential and limitless danger. The reason why Sigma was obsessed with me…"

"And your maker was wise." Raziel remarked. "He gave you the ability to choose and hoped the world would allow you to make a peaceful choice. It may have seemed that you were destined to fight but the choice was always yours and yours alone."

"Your choice of words doesn't escape me." X noted, recalling some of the recorded messages in his maker's capsules. "Did you…?"

"No, I did not know your maker." Raziel clarified. "His work is known to me, but we have never met. A rare exemplar, even across infinite infinities."

"Actually, this may be a good time to point out." the boy added, glancing at X again. "Are you aware that you have another brother as well?"

"I… I've found traces of his existence." X recalled. "But very few. Almost as if someone had intentionally removed them. But maybe I'm just reading too much into it. After all, it has been centuries."

"What would you say if you could see them again?" Raziel asked with genuine curiosity. "Or your maker?"

"I… don't know." X said. "I know my father was a good man, but I'm not sure what I'd say or do if I saw him in person again."

"Hold that thought." Raziel said with an enigmatic expression. "We shall discuss that at greater length once I have looked into a few things."

"Was this your plan all along?" X asked, glancing at the boy.

"I had no plan when we first met." the boy clarified. "I was drawn to your presence... but did not know how to approach you at all or what to say, and then I couldn't put your predicament out of my mind."

"We will speak at greater length later once I have something to show." Raziel said, not insisting further. "But if I may make a suggestion…"

"Yes?" X asked.

"While I can use this location as an observatory of sorts and gaze upon events in other worlds, there is a vast area in yours where my sight does not reach."

"Oh?"

"I believe it to be centered on the place you once called Megalopolis. Whatever took place there in ages past has cast a dark shroud upon the entire region."

"I'll keep that in mind." X reasoned. "Thank you."

"You still have a long road ahead, and I do not see where all paths lead." Raziel said. "But in the meantime, feel free to avail yourself of any of the books in this place."

Noticing X's reaction, he elaborated further.

"Do not be concerned. The dangerous ones apart from the Ozar Midrashim are under lock and key. Those you will find here are merely recreational or instructional."

X blinked, again caught by surprise.

"How did you end up in such company anyway?" he wondered, glancing at the armored boy.

"In his mentor's absence, someone had to watch over him." Raziel noted. "I was always better at learning than at teaching, but I do what I can."

"I'm not so clueless anymore…" the boy retorted. "Or at least I'd like to think I'm not."

"Perhaps…" the archangel mused. "But you are every bit as obstinate as him… and his Herald."

"Herald?" X asked.

"There was another before my time." the boy said. "A hero of the Thousand Myriads who abdicated his power to live among humans."

"And now a human rises to take his place." the archangel mused. "Fitting."

"No one can take his place." the boy reverently retorted. "He was the Herald. I am the Hand. He took front and center and led the charge. I merely act wherever needed."

"So that's why you take this whole mission of yours so seriously." X realized.

"I do have… a momentous legacy to live up to." the boy acknowledged. "I may well never know why I was given this opportunity, but I won't disappoint."

Indulging his curiosity, X stayed a little longer, exploring the vibrant garden. Eventually, though, something else caught his eye – a single floor marble building further ahead, decorated in a strange eclectic style – a combination of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern architecture with some Renaissance elements – and far larger on the inside than on the outside, completely laden with bookshelves.

As the large carved wooden door moved out of their way to let them through, X noticed that, despite the lack of windows, the interior was as bright as the exterior.

"If Ciel finds out about this place, she'll never want to leave." he noted as he turned his gaze upward, unable to see the ceiling.

"Understandable." the boy said with a nod. "I have spent countless hours here myself."

X heard a rustling and glanced to the side, just in time to see the boy's companion, clad in an azure dress, shift between rows of bookshelves. Noticing his gaze, she paused for a moment.

"We meet again." she said in a manner of greeting, waving at him.

"Miss." X said with a polite nod.

It was then that he noticed something strange about the way she moved. A graceful lightness, as if her feet, clad in comfortable flat shoes matching the dress, were not completely touching the marble floor.

X also felt something behind the gentle face that he had not noticed on their previous encounters – an energy, similar to the one he was becoming increasingly acquainted with, but considerably more concentrated than he had sensed in anyone apart from his erstwhile host.

"_How did I miss that before? Was she hiding it?"_

"I hope you won't mind the question…" X hesitantly said. "But… what exactly are you?"

"That depends on who you ask." she said with an enigmatic smile as she ran her index finger along one of the shelves.

"Hmm.." she muttered to herself. "What shall I read today?"

After a short pause to ponder, she pulled two large hardcover tomes off the shelf and laid them out on a nearby small wooden table. Curious, X stepped closer and glanced at the covers.

One was branded with some sort of white insignia in the shape of a bird, perched with open wings upon a set of three golden triangles, with one standing atop the other two. X was surprised to see that the engravings were actually made of pure gold and silver respectively. The other cover was instead decorated with a crimson, fiery bird, whose eyes were tiny genuine rubies, seemingly cut by hand.

"The Eternal Legend and the Chronicle of the Soul Blazer?" X read them out loud. "I can't say I'm familiar with those."

"Some of my favorites." she said with a fond smile as she reached for a wooden chair and sat down, setting both books on the table. "I must have read them a thousand times."

"I'll have to take a look sometime." X said, watching as she took the first book and carefully opened it. "If I can read the language, that is."

"You should be able to." she said. "I have a bit of an advantage in that I can understand every language in all of creation, but these tomes are enchanted so that anyone will be able to understand them as if they had been written in their own native tongue."

"You what?" X muttered.

"You'll find that the lady here is full of surprises." the boy remarked, amused at X's astonishment.

"But since we're here, enjoying a bit of peace and quiet before something else calls out to us again…" she mused, turning her gaze to X.

"I can tell your skill has grown since the last time we met." she added. "But limitless potential means limitless room for growth. Would you like some pointers while you're here?"

"I suppose it couldn't hurt." X reasoned. "I'm not hoping for more trouble but Zero is right. I can't get complacent."

"I had the feeling you'd say that." she said. "Now watch closely."

The radiant energy flared in her grasp and she waved her fingers around with deliberate slowness, allowing X time to observe.

"Sometimes you need to be a little proactive." she noted, weaving the energy into something resembling a barrier in front of her hand. "After all, it's better to keep others from being harmed in the first place than mending their wounds after the fact."

"That would have saved me a lot of grief back in the day." X noted appreciatively, trying to mimic what he had just observed. The barrier he conjured did not last very long, sputtering out after a few seconds, but after the first attempt he felt he had at least grasped the gist of it.

"And if that fails…" the boy added, his tone suddenly grave like that of someone considerably older as he summoned his sword and held it horizontally. "Then you smite."

X watched as the blade began to glow with the same light, but with a different, searing intensity, as if wrapped in white flames.

"I know you're older than you look…" X remarked. "But this still doesn't feel right."

"Don't get the wrong idea." the boy said, before dismissing the flames and then the weapon itself. "I'm not some kind of child soldier of the Celestials. I chose this path. Besides, you have already used this power for the same purpose, even if it was against a mindless machine."

"So you saw that…" X noted.

"I would have jumped in myself…" the boy admitted. "But there were… complications."

He seemed rather reluctant to elaborate further and X did not press the subject.

"That was a little much though." the young woman said with a frown, before pulling up another chair and easing the boy onto it.

"Sorry." he said, his tone once again softening. "I wouldn't want to damage the books."

"It's not the books I'm worried about." she retorted, shaking her head. "You know how you get when you start thinking about those things."

"You're right…" the boy conceded. "This is supposed to be a time of rest."

Again X had the distinct feeling that there was something profoundly wrong with the boy.

"You definitely look like you haven't had a decent night's sleep in a long time." he remarked. "But maybe there's something more..."

"I find it difficult to stay still for long." the boy admitted. "I start thinking about all the things I could be doing out there, all the places and people in need and..."

"I'm surprised he's shown you his face at all." the young woman remarked, taking a moment to pat the boy's back. "It's almost like a phobia. Something we're working on."

X couldn't help noticing certain things about their body language. Whatever sort of being she was, there was a protective tenderness in her motions around the boy. He, on the other hand, seemed to be not only exhausted but under a considerable amount of stress, but her touch and voice seemed to relax his posture ever-so-slightly.

"But enough about that for now." she added, smiling again. "The books are wonderful, but we bet you have many stories of your own."

"That's one way of putting it." X said.

It was not the first time someone had asked him about his life story and adventures, and it would most certainly not be the last. Alouette and Ciel had done the same on a regular basis, as had the children of the settlement and some of the adults.

"How about a trade then?" she suggested, summoning a third chair seemingly out of nowhere.

The conversation soon drifted between various topics, from the history of X's world to various sights the odd pair had beheld on distant worlds, which fed the veteran Hunter's imagination. While he couldn't quite imagine himself leaving his beloved Earth, he was still intrigued by the vivid descriptions and colorful anecdotes of little events here and there. In turn, the odd pair felt a renewed sense of sympathy for the ancient Hunter and his description of events during their absence warmed their hearts.

After an indeterminate amount of time, X checked his internal clock and something felt off.

"Just how long have we been here?" he wondered.

"Time has little meaning in a place like this." the young woman said. "But we should probably send you on your way back."

Then she paused for a moment and, remembering something, reached into a pocket in her dress.

"Oh, before you go." she added, handing X what looked like a library card, complete with his picture.

"What…?" he muttered, caught by surprise.

"Our host made it while you were checking out his garden." she explained with a smile, amused by his confusion. "With it you can come and go as you please."

"Thank you then." X said, hesitantly accepting it. "But why?"

"We all need a break sometimes." she said, still smiling. "To force ourselves to step away from everything and clear our heads. Besides, you may be a robot, but spending too much time hooked to the Shard isn't good for you."

"So you know about that…" X realized.

"Educated guess." she clarified, before glancing at her companion. "You're not the first one to have used them as a silent room."

"After all the time I spent drifting without a body, it does still feel a little strange to be there for extended periods." X noted.

"And the world doesn't stop while you're floating there." she added. "Unless you're in a place like this, maybe."

Some time later, as the armored boy escorted him back to their entry point, X glanced over his shoulder.

"Is it just me or…"

"What?" the armored boy asked.

"Is there someone else here with us?" X pondered.

"I don't sense anything." the boy said with a shrug. "But this place does have a lot of concentrated Light. It helps people like us relax a bit by acting as a buffer, unless we're actively peering outside."

"Oh well…" X said, feeling tired and a little overwhelmed by everything he had witnessed. "Maybe I'm just imagining things."

"_But it definitely feels familiar… Like that time at the lab…"_

Moments after they left back through another portal, a slim figure walked into view, clad from head to toe in a completely white ensemble – a hooded coat, gloves, trousers and shoes. An unnatural shadow obscured its face under the hood.

"What were they doing here?" the figure asked with a male voice, glancing at the archangel as he perused yet another of his endless tomes.

"Paying a visit." Raziel said, before taking another sip of his tea.

"I hope they won't make a habit of it…" the hooded figure said. "Otherwise things could get… complicated."

The hooded figure walked up to the wooden table and raised a gloved hand, summoning a chair out of nowhere.

"So that's Caged Light." he noted as he sat down. "I hope his meddling is not going to bring more turmoil to their lives."

"You seem restless." the archangel remarked, noticing the figure's hands fidgeting around. "Are you still wondering about what might have been?"

"No." the hooded figure said, shaking his head. "What's done is done. The rest is up to them."

He paused for a moment and sighed.

"But I do suppose the memories can still be… painful at times." he admitted, placing a gloved hand over his chest.

"There is a simple way for you to put those regrets to rest..." Raziel suggested.

"No. My role in their lives is over… almost."

He then reached into the coat and produced a battered metallic sphere, with its casing dented and pitted by scratches and scorch marks, as if it had been caught in an explosion of some sort and bearing signs of having been pried open and then welded shut again.

"There is still work to be done… and I still need to make up my mind about certain things."

With that, he stood back up and walked to one of the edges of the strange landmass, overlooking the seemingly endless sea of white clouds.

"So much pain and sorrow you have caused…" the figure mused, staring intently at the sphere and turning it over in his gloved hand. "Then again, I suppose I am partially to blame. So what now? What am I going to do with you?"

* * *

That night, as X tried to rest his mind, he heard a tap on the outside of the window. Surprised, he glanced in that direction only to find the armored wanderer's yet-unnamed companion.

"_Huh?"_

Rising from his bed, he walked up to the window and opened it.

"Sorry to disturb your rest." she said hesitantly. "I need a word with you in private."

Zero had headed out again, likely to spend some time with Ciel and her family, so the two could speak without being overheard.

"Go ahead." X said.

She sighed and her expression betrayed her considerable concern – almost fear.

"I'm terribly sorry to impose, especially when you have your own burdens... but I need to ask you for a small favor."

"What's wrong?" X asked, immediately uncomfortable at the sight of her troubled expression.

"I could tell by the look on your face earlier that you noticed something was wrong." she said. "The truth is… I'm worried about him."

"What do you mean?"

"He abandoned his world and everything he had known when he was but a child and set out alone." she said. "That leaves its marks."

"Like feeling he doesn't belong anywhere?" X asked, recalling their earlier conversations.

"Among other things, yes." she confirmed, downcast. "He went so far as to disregard my advice and burn the memories of his world from his mind, but the wounds that place inflicted are not so easily mended. Then consider the fact that his training is incomplete."

"The pieces are beginning to fit together." X noted. "At least when it comes to certain things."

"He's driven, but I'm afraid it may lead to his self-destruction." she said. "The Light burning in his heart and the ability to travel between infinite worlds. A dangerous combination… to him."

"What do you mean?"

"He's trying to use the Light to fill the emptiness in his heart." she said, looking even more downcast.

"Is such a thing even possible?" X asked. "I know using this power feels… fulfilling, but…"

"No." she said, shaking her head. "Some things you can't mend with a glowing hand or a shining finger."

"Then why is he doing that?"

"He's never said it outright, but I suspect he measures his worth by his ability to help others. You know what it's like to drive yourself to the brink for the sake of everyone else…"

"Yes, that does sound familiar." X recalled. "Like I came close to becoming back in the day. Or worse."

"He runs the risk of losing himself, yes." she confirmed with a nod. "Despite his difficulty forming bonds, he takes on the suffering of those around him… and can go to ludicrous lengths to ease it. It's like a compulsion. I try to keep him grounded, to keep him from neglecting himself and burning out… and I fear for what may befall him if anything happens to me."

She sighed and looked right into his eyes.

"I'm not even sure how he managed to bond with you, but it's a promising sign. It almost never happens with anyone else. So as long as we're here, I need you to do me a favor. Keep an eye on him. Keep him engaged, distracted. He needs more actual contact with people, not just a mission."

"I think you may be overestimating what I can do…" X hesitantly said. "But I'll try."

"Thank you." she said, bowing her head slightly. "In the meantime I'm going to continue trying to get him out of that suit. But please don't mention this conversation. He's stronger than he thinks, but for someone so eager to help others, he hardly ever asks for help for himself."

"Is that why you travel with him?" X asked.

"Among other reasons." she said with a slight smile. "I think someone like you can understand the rest."

"You…" X realized.

"I do." she said with a nod, her smile blooming further but retaining a touch of sadness. "Even if he's blind to it… or refuses to open up. Even if he doesn't see his own worth… and turns wonderful, liberating gifts into a prison for himself."

"So that's what Ness meant…" X understood. "A cage of his own making."

"He's aware of what he's doing to himself on some level. That's why he hates that name so much. But he doesn't know how to break out of it, and nobody else can do it for him. So I try to make sure he lasts long enough to succeed."

"Just… how long have you been doing this?" X wondered.

"Ever since he crossed over for the first time." she said with a wistful expression. "We only met in person much later, but… I've been watching over him all this time."

The way the radiance danced around her and subtly coalesced around her brow and not-so-subtly behind her back did not escape X's notice.

"You…" he said as realization set in. "You're..."

She simply smiled.

"I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, considering some of the company you keep." X reasoned. "But tell me. Do you know anything about what happened to Croire? Or how Zero made it back from Ragnarok alive?"

"I do not." she said. "We were nowhere close to this world when such things happened. But why do you ask?"

"Because of something Croire said when she got back." X recalled. "I think one of your people may have had something to do with it."

"It's possible." she conceded. "But many of my kind have a habit of interfering in other worlds."

X then paused for a moment, struggling for appropriate words.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but…" he hesitantly said. "May I touch them?"

"I'm used to that reaction." she scoffed, turning sideways and leaning closer to the open window. "Just remember, they're very sens-"

"Amazing…" X muttered with childlike wonderment as he hesitantly ran his hand over the soft feathers of the two snow-white wings protruding from her back.

"That tickles." she snorted, the wings slightly twitching.

"I'm… not breaking any taboos I should know about, am I?" X hesitantly asked, suddenly feeling rather self-conscious.

"No." she said, amused at his bashful reaction. "But as you can imagine, these are not very practical when you want to keep a low profile… or walk in tight spaces."

With another flash, the wings vanished.

"Does he know?" X asked.

"I only keep one secret from him, and this isn't it." she retorted with a mischievous smile. "In fact, these can come in quite handy when I need to restrain him from doing something thoughtless."

She paused for a moment and then lowered her voice in a conspiratorial tone.

"By the way… we've asked someone else to come lend a hand with your search. She's been working in the background and has her own reasons for not approaching you right away, but you should probably expect a visit from her sooner or later."

"Someone like you?" X asked.

"No." the woman said, shaking her head. "Someone with a different set of skills. You'll know her when you see her. Don't let the tough exterior fool you though. She's hardened by battle but still has a big heart. She dropped everything to come here as soon as she knew who you're looking for."

From out of sight, Axl watched.

"_Figures Reploid Jesus over there would get this kind of visitors."_ he thought with one of his usual grins. _"I had the feeling she was more than a cute face."_

As they eventually finished their conversation and she vanished in a flash of light, Axl started making his way back to his quarters in the local garrison, satisfied that he didn't need to keep watch.

"_Must be rough having so many people wanting your attention __old buddy__… __but I wouldn't complain to have someone like that__ knocking on my window.__"_


	23. The Huntress and the Clown

Chapter 23 – The Huntress and the Clown

Finally left alone with his thoughts, X tried to rest and process the events of the day. His hopes grew, spurred by the unexpected discovery of new leads. However, it seemed that his life was about to get even more complicated.

"_I suppose nobody can see where all paths lead…"_ he mused, lying in his bed. _"But… to think that beings like those have been watching us all this time…"_

The whole experience still seemed ludicrous, but the library card in his hand was definitely real and the new knowledge in his mind would likely serve him well in future tribulations.

"_And then we have those two…"_ he thought, turning his mind to the armored boy capable of traveling between worlds and his keeper. Their intentions seemed benevolent enough, but the young woman's words had left him profoundly uncomfortable as he recognized familiar self-destructive patterns. Excess zeal, self-neglect, a compulsion to right wrongs.

"_Purpose… without grounding. Without any…" _he realized, recalling his own state after the loss of his body, even then still burning away his remaining energy until Phantom had finally caught up to him, spent and on the verge of giving up.

"_Yes, just like I was...__"_ X wondered. _"Is this why that copy lost his mind when he tried to take my place? __Was he slipping into this too?__"_

Ciel was definitely not the only one still dealing with lingering unresolved feelings regarding the infamous Copy X. There had been attempts at copying X or Zero before, but those had been mindless tools of Sigma, not mentally unstable children aspiring to notions of heroism.

"_I really don't want to think we're just endlessly repeating patterns until the sun burns out…"_

Then his thoughts turned back to the outsiders. Regardless of how things might play out, X did feel indebted to them, for their earlier kindness, for the unexpected insights into his growing power and for the way they seemed bent on moving heaven and earth to reunite him with his loved ones.

"_I still think you overestimated me, Miss."_ he thought. _"But I'll do what I can to help your __friend__ find his way… just like others helped me find mine."_

Too tired to keep ruminating further, he finally settled down. Not long after his head touched the pillow, his mind slipped into a fitful dream and he saw himself running through a seemingly endless maze, chasing the shadows of the one he so dearly missed and those he had never had the chance to know.

Then, the dream abruptly changed into what could only be described as a nightmare.

X saw himself in another of his old battlegrounds, one of the many cities that had been devastated during the Maverick and Elf Wars. But something was different.

He saw himself standing before Sigma as he had done countless times in the past and recognized the form worn by his old foe – the same towering, obsidian colored horned devil he had fought on the moon. As he examined himself however, X realized that instead of one of his old suits of armor, he was wearing the same variation of the Ultimate Armor that his copy had crafted for himself, with white limbs, winged boots, a black torso and the five pointy golden ornaments on the helmet resembling wings.

"You've gone too far this time, monster…" X heard himself proclaim, with his voice twisted by pure hatred as he stood there with clenched fists.

Sigma's towering form looked down at him and laughed, before unceremoniously dropping Zero and Alia's unconscious bodies on the pavement below. Axl came barreling out of nowhere, firing his twin pistols wildly before Sigma casually swatted him aside with a backhand strike, sending him tumbling into a nearby building.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?" his old foe taunted, towering over Alia's unconscious form and raising a boot above her head. "You were never strong enough to do what needs to be done."

"Maybe not before." X heard himself hiss as his eyes turned an eerie shade of red like the copy and his lips curled into a deranged grin. "But I've had enough of you!"

The same cruel bladed metallic wings once worn by the copy in a display of vanity sprouted from X's back and he raised his right hand, clawing his fingers, then clenched his fist shut, quivering with rage.

For the first time in his life, awake or in a dream, X saw Sigma stumble back, his usual smug expression replaced by fear of what he had unleashed.

"Now…" X roared. "Disappear in this infinite light!"

X's voice resounded with fury and a great and terrible power surged within his chest and erupted from his Buster.

"Tetractys Grammaton!"

And everything vanished in a flash of white.

With a gasp, X woke up from the strange nightmare. Disturbed by the scene, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

If he were to be brutally honest, X had grown to intensely hate Sigma over the years, but had always refused to ever stoop down to the same level, to turn his back on what made him what he was. This was part of the reason why he had constantly sealed away his suits of armor and only used limited portions of his expansive arsenal at a time. Afraid of growing too powerful, X had constantly placed restraints upon himself – right until the battles against Omega and the Dark Elf.

He knew that his mind was playing tricks on him, blending memories old and new alike with some of his oldest and deepest fears. He understood it on a logical level, but it still left him feeling profoundly uncomfortable.

"Just… no…" he muttered to himself, frustrated with his mind's nearly endless talent for self-torment.

It was a known fact that sleep deprivation in humans would induce psychosis and eventually death. With their potentially unlimited lifespans, Reploids could accumulate an even more massive amount of memories and regrets, which had the potential to inflict a more insidious form of mental degeneration. With body and mind being connected, X had resolved to take better care of his physical form after regaining a corporeal state. He hoped to never find himself adrift again, slowly fading away.

Shooing away the lingering fragments of the fading nightmare, he set his head back down on the pillow. Calming himself, he closed his eyes and forced himself back to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, somewhere in orbit...

"No." the woman in the dress said resolutely, crossing her arms as she stood in a room completely made of white metal, from the floors, walls and ceiling to the furniture.

"But…" the armored boy tried to protest.

"You are not going out there dressed like that." she reiterated, before stepping closer and pulling off his helmet.

"Are you trying to be my mother or something?" he grumbled.

"Don't be ridiculous." she retorted, before grabbing his shoulder. "Now come on. Stop being unreasonable."

Her touch seemed to disarm him and he stood there motionless as she set about examining his face. Though the dark circles around his eyes still lingered slightly, he was looking a little better.

"You need to take better care of yourself." she scolded. "Now come on. Take that silly thing off. You won't need it where we're going."

He hesitated, his expression betraying his anxiety.

"I..."

"If you won't do it for your own sake…" she pleaded, staring intently at him. "Will you do it for mine?"

That seemed to hit a nerve and she seized the momentum.

"Or do I have to dress you too?" she teased.

"I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself." he retorted, noticeably embarrassed.

"Prove it then." she said, taunting him with a slight grin. "I'll be waiting outside."

With that, she stepped out of the room and the door automatically emerged from its frame and closed behind her with a pneumatic hiss. Alone, the boy hesitantly looked at the metal wardrobe built into a nearby wall and then at his reflection in a standing mirror.

"I can't go on like this…"

A few tense minutes later, he finally stepped out of the room… wearing more normal clothing but with his face instead covered by a pair of goggles of a model not too different from those worn by some Resistance soldiers.

"One step at a time, I suppose…" she conceded, with a sigh.

"Now come on!" she added, slightly more upbeat before grabbing his arm. "There's more to this world than deserts, junkyards and ruins. It's full of beauty and I want you to see it while we're still here."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the surface…

As she walked across the streets of the settlement with a confident stride, clad in a brown jacket with an unfamiliar emblem, a rather tight-fitting blue undersuit and a pair of sturdy brown hiking boots and some sort of compact metallic pistol holstered to the belt around her waist, the statuesque woman, seemingly somewhere between her twenties and early thirties sighed, brushing a stray leaf from her long golden hair.

While the occasional uniformed guard did not bother her, she did draw a fair share of curious glances, both due to her striking figure and her choice of garments, but she did not care either way. Scanning her surroundings with trained blue eyes, she moved through the sidewalks with purpose, past curious onlookers and sidestepping the trucks and hoverbikes that were moving through the lazy morning traffic at a leisurely pace. It seemed that the settlement at large was still going through its morning routine, and she took the time to take in the sights.

"_So small…"_ she thought with contemplative appreciation._ "So quiet..." _

Despite the grave nature of her mission and the monumental amount of work awaiting, she smiled, feeling the crunch of snow under her boots and hearing the sounds of simple living. A man shoveling snow from the front of his door. Two women gossiping about daily events. Children playing.

She stopped a few blocks later, upon the sight of two figures standing outside a modest metal shack – a redhead woman dressed in a thick orange coat with matching trousers and boots and a man, clad in a blue tunic. As she looked at the man's face, she suppressed a shudder, her gaze lingering on the soft face and the expressive blue eyes for a few moments before abruptly looking away.

"So…" Neige said, her tone full of hope and anticipation. "The radio station is almost ready. You know what that means, right?"

"I did promise." X acknowledged, though his expression was a little guarded.

"I still can't get over how shy you can be sometimes." Neige noted with a smile. "There's definitely more they left out of the legend."

"I am what I am." X said with a shrug.

"I was wrong about you." Neige admitted, still smiling.

"What do you mean?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You were right all along and the idiots who tried to turn us all against each other again were wrong. It doesn't make a difference what we're made of, only the kind of people we are."

"Gonna start falling for my buddy now?" Axl teased with a grin, coming out of nowhere.

"Ah!" Neige cried out with a start, before composing herself and glaring at Axl.

"How does he keep doing that?" she hissed in annoyance.

"It's a secret to everyone!" Axl retorted, enjoying his little bit of mischief.

"He can change his appearance." X explained. "You wouldn't believe how many times he managed to sneak into places back in the day by just blending in like that."

"It definitely looks like he's learned how to stretch that ability since then." Neige noted.

She then sighed and glanced back at X.

"Well then. I was thinking about doing something special after all the work I put into this, so…"

"I want to inaugurate my new radio station…" Neige announced, raising a finger before dramatically pointing at X. "With your interview. Your story. What made you who you are and why you do the things you do. What do you say?"

"So…" X said, still a little hesitant about public speaking even though he wouldn't have an audience staring at him. "Are you preparing a script or something or…?"

"Just be yourself." Neige said. "That's all I need. That's all everyone needs."

"Fair enough." X said with a nod. "But on another note… how are you holding up?"

"Work is going well." Neige said, attempting to deflect the question.

"That's not what I'm asking about." X said.

"You noticed, didn't you?" Neige muttered, her expression momentarily souring.

"We all carry our wounds." X said. "Ragnarok left its mark on the world and on us all. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but..."

"That's so like you." Neige noted with open admiration, before treating him to an earnest, warm smile. "I don't know how you've gone all those centuries without losing your mind or giving up on people, but I'm glad you didn't."

Sensing the shift in her mood, Axl quietly backed away, allowing the two to continue their conversation in peace.

She hesitated for a moment, but then finally let it out.

"I still don't understand how that idiot Craft could have done something so horrible…" she lamented, her face a mixture of anger and regret. "I honestly don't know if I can forgive him for that."

"What he did was unconscionable." X said with a heavy frown. "We still don't know how many people died in the blast."

"And to think I…" Neige muttered indignantly, before abruptly stopping herself.

"I won't pry, Neige." X said earnestly. "But you know you can talk to me."

"I could never understand why he was playing along with Weil's plan, even if we now know what his real goal was." Neige said, clenching her fists. "Right until the end I wondered… no, I hoped there was more to Craft than that. That he was better than what he turned out to be."

"You cared for him, didn't you?" X deduced, having heard her express similar frustration and disappointment before.

"He did save my skin once." Neige said. "But why? I'm just a human… and if he was going to do what he did anyway… why?"

"Maybe we'll never know." X mused. "I'm just glad we were able to get some people out in time."

"I must confess I didn't understand it at first." Neige said. "The Maverick Wars, the Elf Wars. It all felt like conflicts between Reploids, with humans caught in the middle. When I was a little younger and more hot-headed, I resented Reploids for the state of the world… but now…"

"Now I understand." she said with conviction. "We're all in this together and we need to make sure we don't have some idiots repeating the same mistakes in ten or twenty or hundred years."

"I still wonder what kind of world we'll be leaving behind." X mused.

"A better one." Neige said. "I hope. As a reporter, it's my job… no, my duty... to uncover and spread the truth, and Ciel's library project is going to play a big part in this. People are learning… and this time we'll make sure they don't forget the lesson."

She paused for a moment and looked intently at him.

"Well…" Neige said, looking a little better after venting. "Thanks for putting up with my ramblings, X. I'll… be in touch."

With that, she left, her walk slightly lighter after getting that particular weight off her chest.

Once she was out of sight, Axl's stance shifted completely, suddenly snapping to attention and staring in a very specific direction.

"So…" Axl said, looking directly at the woman still watching them. "I know he's handsome and all, but are you gonna introduce yourself or are you just gonna keep stalking my buddy all day?"

"You noticed, did you?" the woman retorted, completely unfazed.

"Lady, I'd have to be blind not to notice someone like you." Axl said in a flirtatious tone. "You don't exactly blend in, and you're staring at him like you've seen a ghost."

"They warned me about you." the woman said, looking unimpressed. "Your flirting and your antics won't cut it with me."

"Don't mind Axl." X said with an amused smile. "He tries to push everyone's buttons. But is something wrong, Miss?"

"It's a long story..." the woman said, noticeably hesitant to look directly at his face. "Is there a place we can speak a little more privately?"

"Wow X!" Axl teased. "Already trying to follow you home?"

"Is he always like this?" the woman asked, still unimpressed.

"You should be worried when he gets serious, Miss." X said, already more than accustomed to his friend's antics. "But right this way."

X turned around, opened the door to the shack and held it open for her.

Once again, Axl backed away to give them some space, but as he did so, his usual mischievous grin faltered and he quietly edged out of sight. Focused on his new visitor, X did not notice Axl disappearing around the corner with a pained expression, all trace of humor gone from his face.

"_Can't even be a proper troll anymore…" _Axl silently lamented, feeling something cracking deep inside.

"A gentleman, I see." the woman noted with an amused smirk. "Cute, but I'm not made of glass."

"OK…" X muttered, a little taken aback.

"Don't get me wrong." she added with a slight smile. "In my line of work it's rare to meet someone with actual manners."

Inside she found what looked like a typical bachelor's residence, with a main division where two beds were laid out against the walls on opposite ends, each with a small nightstand nearby. There was a small kitchenette area in the back – noticeably unused since even though Reploids could consume human food they hardly ever did so at their own homes – and a small walled off bathroom and dressing area in the far left corner of the structure.

The floor, also made of metal, was covered by a few rugs here and there, but the decoration in general was simple and rather spartan. At the foot of each bed was a metal footlocker and on each side of the shack was a pair of storage shelves and a small wardrobe. In the center of the living space was a wide metal table where a map was laid out, covered with notes and stickers, filled with annotations and with dozens if not hundreds of areas circled, some of which were also crossed out. Next to the map was a small portable computer and a stack of what the woman deduced to be data storage devices.

"You have to be one of the tidiest bachelors I've ever seen." the woman noted with amusement.

"I don't need much." X said with a shrug. "But I do like keeping the place presentable for visitors."

With that, he pulled up a chair and offered it to her.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, glancing at medium-sized fridge in the kitchenette area.

"Maybe later." the woman said, still not looking directly at his face for some reason.

"Are you OK?" he asked.

"Oh, don't get the wrong idea." the woman said, sitting on the chair while X pulled up another one for himself. "It's just that… you remind me a lot of someone I used to know."

Once X finished sitting down, she finally broke through her hesitation and fixated her gaze on him.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush." she said, leaning back on the chair. "As you've probably guessed by now…"

"You're not exactly from around here?" X deduced. "Axl's ogling aside, you do stand out, Miss…"

"Aran." she introduced herself. "Samus Aran. A mutual acquaintance asked for my help with a… missing persons case, shall we say?"

"I was told someone was coming." X noted. "I didn't know who to expect though. It looks like we both have some very unusual acquaintances."

"We definitely do." Samus said. "But I would have come sooner if I'd known the situation."

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"The whole time relativity thing." she explained. "It has this way of sneaking up on you. Another reason why I hate inter-dimensional travel. But I had to come."

Feeling that there was more to the story, X let her continue.

"Unlike those two, I don't care for theatrics or the whole mysterious stranger crap." she said, crossing her arms. "I knew your brothers and your sister once upon a time… and now that I know they've been missing for so long, I'm not just going to sit around with my hands in my pockets."

"You what…?"

"Yes." she confirmed with a nod. "But I don't expect you to take just my word for it."

She reached into her jacket and produced what looked to X like a sophisticated tablet with a sturdy yellow casing and an unusual design style. As the screen lit up, she brought up a collection of pictures… and X was glad to already be seated as he started feeling a little weak in the legs.

Her words and the pictures lit a fire in X's chest and a million questions buzzed through his mind.

"Could you… tell me about them?" he hesitantly asked.

Her face lit up with a soft smile.

"It's a good thing we're already seated." she said. "This is going to take a while…"

Many hours later…

"And so Rock walked up to him and shouted…" Samus recounted, openly grinning. "'It's not my Metal Blade you should be scared of!' And then Roll clobbered him with the broom so hard the handle snapped."

"Wow…" X muttered, alternating between glancing at the pictures on the tablet, which he was holding with both hands as if made of glass and watching her expression as she continued to reminisce.

"That bastard Ridley kept coming back over and over and again for years…" Samus recalled. "It almost looked like he was immortal or something. But I'll never forget the sight of him getting the crap kicked out of him by this cute little robot girl."

"That must have been quite the sight." X said with a laugh. "But so this all started with that… thing? The… Master Hand, was it?"

"Right." Samus confirmed with a nod. "That was when I met Ness for the first time too."

"What exactly can you tell me about him?"

"Another ray of sunshine, you could say. He also has some kind of weird psychic powers. Don't ask me why, but they've always made me feel a bit nervous. Maybe it's just the fact that he still has the face of a little kid too."

"But what about this Master Hand you mentioned?"

She raised a clenched fist and grinned in amusement, her strikingly beautiful face momentarily resembling that of a predator.

"That thing snatched us from various places and dragged us into a weird pocket dimension. It thought it could make us fight each other for its amusement… and it got a walloping like you wouldn't believe."

"And that was when you met them?"

"Yeah." she confirmed with a nod. "Both of them looked like little kids, but even back then you could tell they'd been through much. I tried to keep them in one piece, but they gave as good as they got… and I'm not ashamed to say they saved my backside a few times like I did theirs."

"What about Blues?" X asked.

"I got to meet him some time later." Samus recalled. "Blues was always a bit more stand-offish. He liked doing his own thing and would show up whenever he felt like it. Honestly, he should have gone into acting. Sometimes he would cook up some ridiculous disguise and pick fights with Rock out of nowhere."

"Whatever for?" X asked, more than a little surprised.

"Testing him, I suppose." Samus said with a shrug. "Mind you, they were pretty stupid disguises. I still can't tell if Rock was honestly fooled or was just playing along."

"Anyway…" Samus added, her expression turning serious once again. "I'm here because I have a certain set of skills that could help make some sense of this… and if they're still out there somewhere, I want to help bring them home."

"Just what exactly did you do before coming here?" X asked.

"Some would call it bounty hunting." Samus said with a shrug. "But it was never that simple. A better description might be monster exterminator, considering all the weird bullshit I had to deal with."

"Do I even want to know?" X asked.

"Probably not too different from some of the things you've done." she said. "I've heard of your reputation before coming here."

"Let's just say I may have become a little too good at my job." she added with a mixture of pride and frustration. "I became the person on call to deal with high tier ridiculous crap of the world threatening variety. Usually created or unleashed by government stupidity."

Then she scoffed.

"After the last few stunts they pulled, they can just clean up their own mess for a change."

As the hours went on, both of them completely lost track of time and eventually the afternoon rolled in and out.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Cerveau's workshop…

"Sorry it took so long." Ciel said as she finished some last minute adjustments on a brand new Reploid body, painstakingly recreating the original.

"I am… just glad to have had this opportunity at all." Phantom said, looking genuinely touched.

"You've earned it." she retorted. "But if you really want to thank me, there's one very simple thing you can do."

"Which is?"

"Like X said when the four of you came to visit him for the first time." Ciel said with a determined expression. "Find happiness. Here or elsewhere. I'd prefer if you would join us, but whatever you do, I'll respect your decision. Just… find some way to get on with your lives."

"I know it will probably feel awkward to hear me say this, considering I look older than you…" Phantom said, his composure cracking once again. "But I cannot begin to express my gratitude for this… and for bringing me into existence in the first place."

Outside, the other three Guardians awaited in silence until he emerged.

"Looking good, Phantom." Leviathan said with a smile as she saw him step through the door.

"Just try not to blow yourself up again." Fefnir scoffed. "Ciel probably has better things to do than putting your ass back together."

"I will take my chances…" Phantom retorted, completely deadpan. "If it means not having to listen to your nonsense."

"Now now…" Ciel said with a smile as she followed behind Phantom. "Be nice."

"Don't pay them too much attention." Harpuia retorted, rolling his eyes. "They're always like this."

"You're one to talk." Fefnir retorted with a scoff, struggling to conceal the grin at the sight of his brother restored to full strength.

"On another note…" Leviathan added. "Is that offer still on the table?"

"Do you mean the house or the Resistance membership?" Ciel asked. "Because both are."

"The time isn't right for us to move in… not yet." Phantom mused, his eyes showing just a little more emotion than usual as he became re-accustomed to his full sensory range. "But we could definitely use the place while we are visiting."

"Visiting?" Ciel asked. "Does this mean you're going to make it a regular thing?"

"Your guys have guts, I'll give them that." Fefnir added. "But we're whipping up a little training regimen that should make them a little more capable."

"Oh?" Ciel asked.

"Our sister decided to take X's words to heart…" Harpuia noted. "And try to move forward by helping someone else do the same. I guess you could say her enthusiasm is contagious."

"Let's just say that we have… a very motivated volunteer." Leviathan said with an enigmatic smile.

"_What is she up to?"_ Ciel wondered, noticing the glimmer of excitement in her eyes, which had definitely not been there in a long time.

"It doesn't always have to be about fighting, you know." Ciel pointed out. "Phantom has already helped out a lot on the technical side of things."

"There you are!" Alouette chimed in, coming up from behind the Guardians with Croire perched on her shoulder.

"Are you not supposed to be at school right now?" Phantom asked.

"Maybe, but I had to see this." Alouette replied.

She then walked up to Phantom and cast him an appraising look. Ciel had definitely done a great job and the new body was virtual indistinguishable from the original.

"So, all good?" Alouette asked.

"Better than new." Phantom said appreciatively, wiggling his fingers.

"Good." Alouette said, before openly smiling. "Maybe now you can stop skulking around and come visit us more often."

* * *

A few more hours later, with the setting sun peeking over the horizon...

"Thanks for coming everyone." X said as he stood in front of Ciel's house alongside a tall, strikingly beautiful woman the others had never seen before.

She was wearing a strange yellow suit of power armor with a prominent green cannon of some sort mounted on the right arm and under her left arm she was holding a red helmet with a green visor. Her long, smooth golden hair was tied in a ponytail behind her head, likely to make it easier to put on and remove the helmet, while her deep blue eyes took in the faces of everyone present.

"What's this about?" Cial asked, a little taken aback by the woman's choice of garments.

"It's… a long story." X explained.

"I take it that it has something to do with all the strange things that have been happening around here lately." Cial said.

"Well…" X continued. "It looks like there are more people out there who knew my siblings. People from… out there."

Ciel eyed the woman with curiosity, silently wondering what she had to do with it.

"Well, there's no easy way to say this…" Samus said, stepping forward uttering the next words as if they were perfectly normal. "My name is Samus Aran, and I'm a bounty hunter… or maybe intergalactic pest control specialist would be more accurate."

"A bounty hunter?" Ciel asked a little nervously.

"Relax." Samus said with a smile, amused at her reaction. "I'm not here to start anything. It's a long story, but I guess you could call me a friend of the family."

"How is that possible?" Ciel asked. "Wait… The others did mention something about time flowing differently between…"

Zero watched the exchange from a distance, quietly sizing up the armored woman. In her stride and posture he recognized the confidence of an experienced warrior, possibly a former soldier. Her claims, while a bit outlandish, were far from the most absurd things he had seen or heard in recent times.

"Yeah…" Samus said with a nod. "One of the reasons why I hate inter-dimensional travel. But after hearing what happened I wasn't going to just forget about my friends."

"How do you know them exactly?" Ciel asked.

"I'm not sure if it makes sense to be speaking of time scales when this kind of crap is involved…" Samus explained. "But this all happened many years ago."

"_She looks capable and honest enough…"_ Zero mused. _"But I'm not sure how to feel about all these people from other worlds popping up whenever they feel like it."_

"Long story short, I'm not happy to know they're lost out there somewhere." Samus summed up. "I'm here to do something about it."

The woman's confident poise and the figure she cut standing before them definitely struck a chord with Ciel.

"_She's so cool…"_

Glancing at Cial, she could tell that while her outward reaction was more subdued, similar thoughts were going through her mind.

"So wait…" Zero chimed in. "Does that mean you're another of those…?"

"No." Samus said, shaking her head. "I'm just me, with the gifts my adoptive family gave me and the skills I picked up along the way. Honestly, I'd rate pretty low on the weirdness scale compared to some of the others out there."

"That reminds me…" X remarked. "I forgot to ask this earlier, but did Rock ever show the same abilities?"

"Not that I know of." Samus said, a soft smile gradually blooming. "But that kid was a walking ray of sunshine. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to have them too."

The way her tone and expression changed at the mention of Rock did not escape the others.

"So…" Zero said, a little taken aback. "You and X's brother…?"

"Like that never gets old." Samus grumbled, glaring at him. "Should I assume the same thing about you and these girls here, seeing how you're hovering around them like a bodyguard?"

"I-It's not like that…" Ciel protested. "Yet."

Realizing she'd struck a nerve, Samus looked at the petite scientist with genuine surprise.

"Huh… Really? Well, it's none of my business. I just don't like people assuming things."

"But no." she clarified. "Rock may be a big damn hero but he still looked, sounded and acted like a kid the last I saw him. If anything, he was more like the little brother I never had."

"I assume you have some proof?" Zero asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Samus retorted, before glancing at X.

X in turn nodded and showed them the tablet in his hand and the pictures contained inside.

The others were surprised to see his lost siblings standing next to her in various situations, many of them surprisingly normal. From eating ice cream together in what looked like the streets of old Megalopolis to Rock and Samus standing in full armor next to a statue commemorating the former's heroics, to Rock and Roll striking dramatic poses while Samus played along and Blues stood in the background with an amused smirk. Memories of an age long gone.

"She definitely reminds me of Alouette." Ciel noted with a fond smile, staring at a preserved moment of Roll's life. "Just as adorable."

"I can see why." Cial said, glancing at her sister. "But something about her reminds me of you, too."

"It's not the first time I've heard that." Ciel admitted, leaning closer to take a better look.

"No doubt about it." Zero conceded, before seeing one unusual picture of Roll. "Hey, is that…?"

In that particular scene, Roll was clad in some sort of pink suit of armor, with a design clearly inspired by the ones worn by Rock and Samus.

"Ah yes." Samus recalled. "I remember this one. She fretted so much about her brothers being out there fighting all the time while she stayed at home that we ended up putting this together for her… and she definitely put it to good use."

"It's still weird to think how they're older but look so much younger than me." X mused.

"Like a big sister to them, huh?" Zero asked, glancing at Samus, still taken aback by the contrast between her confident poise and the sudden softness in her tone and expression.

"Weird as it may sound, the times I spent with those three were some of the best of my life." she reminisced with a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. "Both my biological and adoptive families were wiped out. Once I was old enough, I'd spend months at a time on dangerous missions I could very well not return from and almost died a bunch of times. That kind of life doesn't leave much room for other things."

"I don't know if I could do that…" Ciel mused, surprised by the contrast between the imposing armor and the gentle expression of the woman wearing it. "That takes a kind of strength I'm not sure I want to have."

"It's not the kind of life I'd recommend to most people." Samus admitted. "But I like to believe I left my mark. Made things just a little better."

"But why do you think you'll have better luck than X after all this time?" Zero wondered. "No offense, but if those people went that far out of the way to get you..."

"Capturing or taking down targets were not the only parts of my jobs." Samus clarified. "Most of the time I ended up fighting all kinds of dangerous creatures in space stations and huge buried ruins with their own set of hazards. If they are still around, then I'd bet good money that they ended up trapped somewhere, possibly after getting damaged and shutting down for repairs."

"That's pretty much the conclusion we reached too." Zero said.

"Especially since your world has so many ruins you almost can't go for a walk without tripping on one." Samus pointed out.

"You should have been here for the colony drop then." Zero reminisced, rolling his eyes. "Huge damn mess."

"I still don't know how this one world could have gone through so much…" Samus noted, looking genuinely baffled. "And survived."

"We're hard to get rid of." Zero remarked, allowing himself a mild boast. "We just won't stay down."

X suddenly glanced around, as if expecting something to happen.

"Something wrong?" Zero asked.

"Where's Axl?" X wondered. "I haven't seen him since this morning and he's not answering calls."

"Yeah…" Zero realized. "He's not the type to miss out on this, especially when someone like the lady over here is involved."

"I have a bad feeling about this…" X said, before turning to the twins.

"I'm sure you have you fair share of questions for our new guest." he said, noticing the glimmer in their eyes. "I'm going to check up on Axl and I'll be back later."

Instead of getting his own home, Axl had kept his quarters at the local Resistance barracks. While not a formal military organization, everyone involved knew the importance of keeping a certain level of readiness in case of unexpected threats and several members had opted to dedicate themselves to that role on a full time basis.

X made his way through the streets, eventually reaching the large square metal building, easily one of the tallest in the burgeoning settlement with its four floors. The female soldier sitting at the front desk stood at attention as he walked by and he gave her a polite nod. With practiced ease, he then headed to the ground floor living area where Axl and other full time soldiers had their individual quarters.

As he stood in front of the metal door, X paused. He heard a strange, indistinct sound coming from the inside and instinctively tensed up. Something definitely felt wrong.

"Axl?" he called out, knocking on the door.

There was no response.

"Axl?" he called again. There was no response, and the strange sound from inside continued.

With growing unease, he simply opened the door… only to find his old friend sitting on the floor in a corner of the room, clutching one of the books X had only recently retrieved from Hunter HQ while a few others were scattered at his feet.

"Axl?" X called out again, disturbed by the look on his face as he walked closer. "What's the matter?"

Axl barely lifted his gaze to look at him. He seemed to be in terrible pain, with tears streaming down his face.

"What's going on Axl?" X asked, kneeling next to him.

"Ah buddy…" Axl said, his voice cracking. "Maybe you should have left these where you found them…"

"What's wrong?" X insisted, feeling a sting in his chest at the sight.

"This stuff…" Axl lamented. "It reminds me of things I don't wanna remember…"

As he saw the cover of the softcover book, X understood. One of the volumes he had so recently teased Axl about. A gift from someone long gone.

"You mean…"

"Yeah buddy…" Axl whimpered.

"It's never easy." X said with a frown, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I was afraid Zero would never be himself again after Iris. But he-"

"Funny that you'd mention Iris…" Axl said weakly, averting his gaze. "I guess I never got around to telling you…"

"Telling me what?"

"What happened back then, right after you sealed the Dark Elf." Axl clarified.

"Does this have something to do with why you were so sure Palette wasn't coming back?" X asked, recalling their earlier conversation.

Axl nodded.

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"My old guns didn't just break buddy…" Axl said, looking and sounding like he was in pure anguish. "I broke them… after what I had to do with them…"

"Axl?"

"Zero was under." Axl recalled. "He wasn't gonna wake up anytime soon. Weil still managed to snatch his old infected body and went on his merry shithead rampage until we put a stop to that and shot Omega into orbit tied like a salami."

"I couldn't have done it without you." X recalled. "But what does this-"

"And then you gave up your body to seal the Elf away." Axl continued. "We lost… a whole damn lot of people, humans and Reploids, but we won. But… you remember, don't you?"

"The Dark Elf's madness…" X said with a haunted look.

"Yeah buddy…" Axl said, with tears pouring down. "You know what that shit did to Reploid cores when she was at full power."

The words sent a chill down X's spine as he recalled the masses of maddened Reploids that had spread chaos throughout the world at the time, clawing at everything in sight in a primal frenzy.

"You mean…" X realized with growing horror.

"I could see it in their eyes, buddy…" Axl whimpered, clutching his chest. "The look when the madness took over… and then they were gone. Even with the Dark Elf put under, there was no coming back from that…"

With a sinking feeling in his chest, X watched as Axl began openly sobbing.

"I loved her, man. I loved her so I had to be the one to do it. Layer too and a bunch of others. That shit fried their cores… and just like that they were gone. Mindless."

It was X's turn to feel the tears pouring down.

"Axl…" he muttered, placing both hands on his old friend's shoulders.

"If I had that funky power of yours, maybe I could have done something…" Axl lamented. "But they were gone. No better than those Reploid zombies you still find in old junkyards out there. So I did the only thing I could… and I almost turned my guns on myself when I was done."

"What a goddamn hero I turned out to be, huh?" Axl added between sobs. "I couldn't even… keep them company for the trip."

"After that, I smashed my guns to pieces." Axl continued, his face completely soaked. "Threw the pieces into some random swamp. Tried to hide and pretend I was a nobody… And just when I was starting to think that maybe things were gonna be OK… shit hit the fan again. First Ciel's old school getting hit, then that asshole copy of yours… and then everything else..."

It made too much sense. The clown antics, the evasiveness, the reluctance to meet his old friends again. At a loss for words, X simply let him vent everything.

"I couldn't even hold a gun anymore." Axl said, his hands trembling. "That's why I started using my abilities as a spy instead. Figured at least I wouldn't be… completely useless."

"Why didn't you tell us?" X asked, wiping his face with the back of his hand, looking like he was on the verge of losing what little composure he had left.

"You guys were finally on the mend." Axl whimpered, curling up with his arms wrapped over his knees. "You were finally getting over all the shit that happened to you. I thought I was too. And then you found this stuff… and it all came rushing back."

"It was a gift from her." Axl said as he held up the book and stared wistfully at the young couple on the cover. "She had me figured out from the start. Didn't let my antics drive her off, oh no. Even joined in on my pranks. The sound of her laughter was… oh man..."

X let out a deep sigh and did the only thing he could, placing a hand on his old friend's shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault…" he said, with his own voice cracking.

"So the truth comes out…" Zero remarked with a somber expression as he stepped inside. "I thought there was another reason for all that clowning around."

"Yeah…" Axl whimpered. "Too bad I can't just lose my memories like you, huh buddy? Maybe wake up in a few hundred years and make a fresh start?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Zero chided, stepping closer with a raised hand.

Axl just sat there in a slump, unsure what Zero was going to do… until Zero lightly bonked him on the head with his knuckles like he and Ciel had taken to doing when he started spouting too much of his trademark silliness.

"I was forced to do the same with Iris, remember?" Zero pointed out, crouching down to look at Axl eye to eye. "You were one of the people constantly pestering me to forgive myself, so how about you practice what you preach?"

X knew that for a long time Zero had frequently taken the tough love approach when dealing with most people, being reluctant to openly show his softer side until fairly recently – especially after the loss of Iris. However, even Zero had a heart like everyone else, and soon all three had their faces stained by tears.

"I know it hurts…" Zero said, giving Axl a sympathetic look. "But you're not gonna heal by bottling it up and trying to force yourself to laugh. You're not alone anymore, dumbass."

"You're right…" Axl admitted. "I guess I just… thought I could deal with it."

"Quiet you." Zero said, his tone considerably softer than the previous times he had uttered those words. "You were there when both of us were in the pits. When anyone else was feeling like shit and needed someone to prop them up. It's our turn."

"You guys…" Axl whimpered, managing to show the faintest hint of a smile as he looked up at them.

Some time later, after Axl had finally settled down in his bed, the door opened again and Cial stepped inside with Alouette in tow.

"What's wrong with him?" Alouette asked, casting a worried glance at Axl as he lay there in sleep mode.

"He's had… a lot of crap to get out of his system." Zero said with a heavy frown. "Best to let him rest for a while."

"I had the feeling something was wrong." Cial noted, also frowning as she stepped closer. "It's a good thing that sister of mine is too busy showing our new visitor around."

"_I wouldn't want her to see this…" _she thought, spotting the tear stains on the pillow and once again feeling as if she had been punched in the stomach, just like during X's emotional outpouring after receiving his new body.

"You may be a fool, but it definitely looks like there is more to you than I thought." she mused, watching his sleeping face.

"_You even have some endearing qualities, when you are not running your mouth and making a nuisance of yourself." _she silently admitted.

She then glanced at X and Zero.

"I know better than to pry in other people's affairs. Just… do what you think is best and let me know if he needs anything."

"I… uh…" Zero muttered, caught by surprise.

"Do not get the wrong idea." Cial cut him off, raising a finger. "It just bothers me to see him in such a pitiable state."

The look on her face, however, told a different story from her detached tone.


	24. With Joined Hands

Chapter 24 – With Joined Hands

Hours later, after Axl had finally settled down, X withdrew to the shack to have a few moments alone, leaving Zero to keep an eye on their old friend.

"_You didn't have to try to carry this alone, Axl." _X mused. _"And you won't. Not anymore."_

The days continued to flow, slowly but inexorably. Unsure what else he could do to help Axl cope with his inner demons, X and Zero elected to give him some space, hoping he would speak with them again when ready.

Meanwhile, breaking past some of their hesitation, the Four Guardians began assisting the Resistance more openly, providing valuable scouting data and the location of other old facilities they uncovered while continuing to train Colbor.

A few days later, at the end of the morning…

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Ciel asked expectantly as she conversed with Thaddeus through a handheld radio while sitting at her kitchen table.

"I'm still going through it, but the handwriting matches other documented works." the older scientist confirmed.

"More of Dr. Cain's missing journals…" she realized. "To think they were lying around uncatalogued all these years..."

"It's a good thing I decided to inspect the physical condition of the material, starting with the history and archaeology collection." Thaddeus mused. "Still, it's funny."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"How something like this was right under everyone's noses." Thaddeus clarified. "And how I'd stumble across it now, when it's needed the most."

"I'll let X know." Ciel said. "He'll want to see those himself."

"I'll get a quiet room ready for him to examine the journals in peace." Thaddeus said. "In the meantime though, how are you all doing over there?"

"Still moving forward." Ciel said. "Some faster than others, I suppose."

"Is something wrong?" he asked, sensing the shift in her tone.

"Mother has gone to see Axl." Ciel said with concern. "She wouldn't say what it was about, but it sounded like there was something wrong."

Sitting on the living room couch nearby and within earshot, Cial divided her attention between hearing the conversation and trying out Zero's ancient game console that X had retrieved from Hunter HQ, playing some sort of co-op platform game with Alouette.

"Sis, watch out!" Alouette said, pointing at the screen as Cial's character nearly fell off a ledge.

Snapping back to the moment, Cial quickly corrected her motion.

"I know what you're thinking." Alouette said, glancing at her.

"Clever girl." the former Head Administrator said with the hint of a smile.

* * *

A few minutes later, at another location...

"Didn't I tell you?" Leviathan asked with a satisfied grin as he finished a lap through one of her training courses without breaking stride. "Mind trumps specs."

"I think I'm starting to believe…" Colbor noted.

"Good." Leviathan answered.

They were then interrupted by Harpuia entering the chamber.

"Sis, we have some matters to discuss."

Colbor froze in place, still not fully accustomed to being in Harpuia's presence.

"I suppose you can come too since you're already here." the Guardian added.

"What's going on?" Colbor asked.

"An opportunity to make ourselves useful to our Master." Harpuia said.

* * *

The next day, around noon, X, Zero, Ciel and Samus gathered in the workshop to do some brainstorming, cross-referencing X's notes with the newly discovered batch of journals.

Cial was conspicuously absent, and the others had not seen her for several hours, while Lune had left that morning, saying she had something personal to deal with. Still exhausted by his emotional outpouring after keeping things bottled in for so long, Axl had not left his room since them.

As the group were discussing the most efficient way of covering the remaining sites and trying to deduce logical priorities, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Are we expecting anyone else?" Samus asked.

"I don't think so." X said, shaking his head. "Axl asked us to leave him alone for a while."

As X headed to the door, he was greeted by an unexpected sight.

"You are not alone in this." Phantom announced.

Behind him, the other three Guardians were standing along with Colbor, Milan and Faucon. Cial stood in the back, again wearing an undecipherable expression, but with a glimmer in her eyes as she saw her plan set in motion.

"In fact…" the black-clad Guardian added. "We are rather cross at you for not telling us about this. We are supposed to be your hands, after all."

"You're not appendages." X retorted. "Not mine, and not anyone else's. But… I get what you're trying to say."

"Even if we're still on the fence about certain things…" Harpuia said.

"We can all agree that you need a few more pairs of hands on the job." Milan added.

"You guys…" X tried to say, at a loss for words after feeling so touched by the display of solidarity.

"I did say I would step in if I thought you were being unreasonable." Cial chimed in, stepping forward. "I can understand that this a personal matter, but considering that you already have people coming from so far away to lend a hand…"

"_Telling them all the details at this point would just make things needlessly convoluted…"_ Cial thought. _"But I see no reason for two or three people to try to scour hundreds of sites on their own."_

"Consider this field training." Leviathan remarked, glancing at Colbor and Milan.

"Not like you guys need permission anyway, right?" Fefnir added. "Your outfit isn't a formal military or anything like that."

The sight of former enemies gathering for the sake of someone who had given so much of himself for the sake of the world brought a smile to Ciel's face. For his part, Zero watched the exchange, knowing that while X was reluctant to ask those outside his closest group of friends for help with personal matters, he also did not have the heart to turn down such eagerness.

"True, but we have to consider the whole picture." X said. "If we all run off on personal errands, the structure will fall apart."

"While we can't divert too many of our forces from their main duty of keeping the peace, this is something we want to be a part of." Milan said.

"That's right." Colbor added with unusual determination. "After everything you've done for everyone else, it's only fair that we get to lend a hand when you need it."

"In other words…" Cial added, staring intently at X. "No more sacrificing your personal life on the altar of duty."

"You'd better listen to her before she gets ideas about staging a coup." Ciel joked.

"Oh please!" Cial scoffed. "I do not want to imagine the paperwork that would require."

The Radiant Shard, which Ciel had mounted on a receptacle atop one of the workshop tables for further study, shimmered lightly.

"_Interesting…"_ the presence spoke into X's mind.

X was a little startled, but did not let his expression betray it.

"_I thought you couldn't sense anything outside the Shard."_ he answered, glancing in the artifact's direction.

"_Not ordinarily, but being surrounded by so many strong presences is rather stimulating."_

In his mind's eye, X could see the figure inside scratching his chin, gazing in the direction of the Four Guardians.

"_So there are the infamous Four Guardians…"_ the replica of Usul noted.

"_Yes… and?"_

"_It's funny… All this way from my point of origin, and still I find more shades of something familiar. The names and the faces may be different, but…"_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_As I look upon their faces and countenances, I'm reminded of other beings… Ifrit. Garuda. Shiva. Fenrir."_

"_I'd rather you didn't compare th__e__se four to those monsters."_ X retorted, rather disgusted by the notion.

"_You misunderstand. There were other beings bearing the same names and attributes in other worlds. Those counterparts were not Primals. They were not parasites."_

"_What were they, then?"_

"_Beings born from the living magic of their worlds. Some called them Espers. Others called them Eidolons. And some called them… Guardians."_

"_Are you pulling my leg right now?"_

X paused to digest the notion, before silently voicing his opinion.

"_I prefer to think of them as people. We are more than our abilities or the titles others give us."_

"_We are. But consider this. While you hate being called their Master, they made the decision of coming here for your sake despite the fact that they've been keeping their contact with the settlement to a minimum."_

"_And your point is?"_

"_They might have been reluctant to do it for themselves, out of guilt or shame. But once they knew you needed them, they came without hesitation."_

"X, you're spacing out." Zero remarked, waving a hand in front of his old friend's face.

"S-Sorry…" X said, still a little overwhelmed. "I think I need to sit down for a bit."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Axl's quarters…

The boyish Reploid was still in bed, though he was not alone in the room.

"I guess now you know everything…" he said, resting his head on the pillow as he stared at the ceiling.

"I don't know how you managed to keep it all bottled in for so long." Lune remarked, sitting on a chair next to the bed.

"Disappointed?" Axl asked.

"About what?" Lune asked, a little confused.

"That I turned out to be just a sad clown?" Axl retorted with a scowl.

"My boy…" she said, knowing how strange it was to speak in such a way to someone technically centuries older than her, but not giving a damn. "Sometimes life breaks us. You did what you had to do and you still managed to pull through and continue helping others."

"Maybe…" Axl countered. "But I still failed when it counted. I was pretty useless on my own."

"That's not true, and you know it." she retorted. "You managed to become your own person after breaking away from Red Alert. You did a lot of good in the world and not only helped get your old friends back together but you also kept my girls safe… and lent an ear to an unreasonable woman who was struggling to move beyond her own past."

"I guess I wasn't a complete waste…" Axl conceded. "But I'll never be able to forget their faces."

"You don't have to forget." Lune countered. "I've been through my share of loss, but I'd never want to forget those people. The man I was going to start a life with. My friends in the project. That sweet, reckless boy who tried to be brave in the face of danger."

She stared intently at Axl's face.

"But you don't have to hide behind a clown's mask. You're not alone anymore."

"What, you trying to be my mom or something?" Axl asked with a sad smile.

"What's one more adopted child?" she scoffed, before patting his head.

That gesture of affection was too much for Axl to take in his current state, and he felt himself tearing up again. Lune noticed, preemptively wiped his eyes and pulled him into a hug.

"There there…" she said, trying to soothe him as she would often do with her daughters. "You said it yourself. Things are getting better. One step at a time."

* * *

A couple of hours later…

"_I suppose it's a good thing we decided to move the discussion here." _Ciel thought as the small crowd would never have fit in X and Zero's shared shack without everyone tripping on each other.

"I don't even know how you thought you could cover all this ground on your own." Samus said, sweeping her armored hand over the map. "Even in peace time, your Trans Server network just doesn't reach some areas. You can't teleport freely, and you don't have anything fast enough."

"He was always stubborn." Zero remarked, glancing at X. "I tried to help where I could, but you've probably noticed by now that he tries to pile as much work as he can on himself."

"Yeah, no." Samus said. "That's not gonna cut it anymore. Not if you want to finish the search before another hundred years go by."

"I concur." Phantom said. "Honestly, it would be more feasible if we were to split the search area by sectors and each of us focused on sweeping one."

That remark elicited an amused chuckle from Zero.

"What?" Phantom asked.

"It's just funny." Zero noted. "Usually, when shit hit the fan back in the day we had to deal with eight or so enemy leaders splitting up and taking sectors or important facilities. Now we're the ones doing it."

"I'll divvy up the areas." Samus said. "For now, I'll take the more complicated ones. The places that got buried or caved in. I've got all the gear I need for that."

"What does that leave for the rest of us?" Harpuia asked.

"From what I see on the map, the old Hunters had a bunch of shelters and outposts in central Asia." Samus noted. "A lot of ground to cover and plenty of mountainous areas."

"I'll take that one then." Harpuia said. "Terrain isn't a problem for me."

"There were a lot of naval outposts in the Pacific shores and Oceania." Samus noted, going through the notes again and updating the map with some additional pins.

"Guess that one's mine." Leviathan said, before glancing over her shoulder. "Colbor."

"Yes?" the Resistance captain hesitantly asked.

"You're not ready to head out on your own just yet, so you're coming with me."

Fefnir grinned at the remark.

"Wipe that look off your face." Leviathan said, glaring at her sibling.

"I didn't say anything." Fefnir retorted.

"But you were thinking it." Leviathan countered.

"What?" Colbor asked, feeling a bit out of the loop.

"Just ignore them." Phantom said, rolling his eyes.

"From what I've seen of the orbital footage, North America got hit pretty hard." Samus noted. "Plenty of ground to cover, with many different environments."

"And some definitely toxic or radioactive." X pointed out.

"This suit isn't just for show." Samus said, bumping her fist on her armored chest for emphasis. "I think we'd better split that area between the two of us though."

"Well then…" Zero intervened. "As much as X wants to have someone watching the home front, I'm tired of sitting around. Give me something to do."

"You can take Western Europe then." Samus said. "Part of the old continental rail is still intact, so you can just grab one of those hoverbikes and start from the nearest Trans Server terminal."

"It's been a long time since I rode one of those…" Zero said with a wistful expression that did not escape Ciel's notice. The mental image of him wearing a leather jacket and aviator shades, cruising through a deserted highway with his ponytail flapping behind him brought a smile to her face.

"Since Axl does not seem to be in any condition to do so…" Phantom said. "I will take up his role of keeping a discreet watch."

"You know about that then?" Zero asked with a frown.

"Only that he is indisposed." Phantom clarified. "It is not my business to pry."

"Well then…" Samus said. "There are some sites in South America that need-"

"I'll deal with those." Fefnir interrupted, before glancing at Milan. "And you're coming with me. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two."

"I have finished running a check of the Trans Server network." Cial informed, before placing a tablet on the table. "Some of the more remote terminals are still undergoing repairs, but new functional ones have been uncovered. We are making use of those to locate other bastions of civilization out there."

She expanded the map and elaborated further.

"Harpuia, there are a handful of functional terminals that should cut back on your flight time. Fefnir, the Amazon blaze forty years ago knocked out some of the local hubs and they ended up being abandoned, but we are getting a signal from one of them. You may be able to restore the connection to some of the others from there."

Leviathan glanced at the maps and her brow furrowed in concentration.

"I'm as fast underwater as Harpuia is in the air, but I won't be going alone."

"Guess he can just ride on your back." Fefnir scoffed.

"W-What kind of-" Colbor tried to protest.

"Ignore him." Leviathan said, glaring daggers at Fefnir. "He likes pushing people's buttons."

Cial nodded.

"Since Leviathan has a very large area to cover and will be traversing aquatic environments, I have a suggestion."

"Go on." Leviathan said.

"Communications may be difficult in such environments, so Colbor could help relay information and keep watch for any unexpected hazards." Cial reasoned.

"Funny that you mention that." Ciel intervened. "Cerveau and some of his trainees recently finished refurbishing some old recon choppers. Between the new reactors and the solar panels, they could stay in the air for weeks, maybe even months."

"I could handle that…" Colbor said with a nod. "But I think it would be safer if I got a little refresher course before going anywhere. I haven't piloted anything like that in ages."

"Those old skill programs I picked up from Hunter HQ should help." X pointed out. "We've already confirmed the discs are still in working condition and the control scheme hasn't changed that much since those days."

"It will take a couple of days to get everything ready." Cial said as she started updating her notes. "Supplies, communications equipment and so on."

"We can go ahead to our area." Samus said. "I've got everything I need in my ship."

"I'm sorry, what?" Ciel interjected.

"Right…" Samus realized. "I guess I didn't mention that."

With that, she stepped outside and activated the recall function in her suit's onboard computer. Moments later, a red heavily armored airborne craft, roughly the size of a house and with a frontal section design clearly modeled on her helmet, flew overhead.

"You're gonna have to let me take a look at that later…" Ciel said, feeling more than a little giddy.

"I'll think about it." Samus retorted with barely concealed amusement. "Well then, X…?"

"No time like the present." X said with a nod. "Stay in touch, everyone."

Samus nodded and stood directly underneath the ship. Some sort of teleportation system locked in on her, and with a flash she disappeared. X watched on, then did the same, and moments later found himself in the vessel's hold.

X glanced around, intrigued by the utilitarian design, not so different from the old Hunter facilities. What caught his attention though was the collection of mementos carefully laid out in some sort of display cases. Strange pieces of alien technology, exotic rocks, and even a few printed pictures.

"In case you are wondering…" a male voice chimed in, startling him.

X glanced around until he saw some sort of computer terminal, whose screen was taken by a prominent purple orb reminiscent of an eye.

"The items are held in place by localized gravity fields." the voice continued.

"What's this?" X asked. "An AI?"

"Hello." the AI politely said. "I am Adam. You must be X. Glad to finally meet you."

"I see you've met my partner." Samus remarked, peeking in from the cockpit.

A few moments later, Samus settled down on the pilot's seat and plotted a course. The ship started heading on its way and with little else to do for the time being, she decided to strike up a conversation with X.

"So, I know about Wily…" she said. "And you told me a bit about that Maverick Virus last time. But what about those Elf Wars?"

X sighed and stepped into the cockpit, standing behind her chair.

"After we beat Sigma on the moon, we thought it was over, since he had nowhere else to go." X said. "What we didn't know at the time was that he had left copies of the virus elsewhere."

"So he came back again?" Samus asked.

"Not exactly." X said, shaking his head. "This strain of the virus didn't have a will controlling it… and in some ways that made it even more destructive."

X's face twisted into a scowl as he recalled those dark days.

"A few years after the battle on the moon, the virus started spreading like wildfire, until it got to the point where it couldn't be contained. That was when we tried something new. Since Zero was always immune to the virus, an ancestor of Ciel's studied his structure and created a new cybernetic life form. The Mother Elf."

"Let me guess…" Samus said. "Things didn't go as planned."

"To put it mildly." X said. "The Mother Elf was tremendously powerful. She was able to draw in and contain the virus, purifying large areas at a time. In less than two months, we were on the verge of a complete cleansing… and then things started going wrong again."

X sighed, clearly reluctant to dwell on such memories.

"The next thing we knew Zero's body started malfunctioning. Eventually we discovered that Wily had left some hidden code in it as a failsafe, in case Zero ever decided to act against his orders… and there were still some AI copies of his personality hidden around. Then the Mother Elf started acting strangely too."

"Typical Wily." Samus spat. "I should have blown his head off back in the day. I know there were times when Rock was tempted to, but he was always too much of a softy and I wouldn't want him to get his hands dirty like that."

"It wasn't just Wily this time around though." X said, clenching his fists. "There was another scientist. Weil. Instead of freeing Reploids from the Maverick Virus, he wanted to use the Mother Elf's power to reduce all of them to his mindless puppets. He almost succeeded too."

"What happened?"

"He corrupted the Mother Elf." X explained. "Implanted a new vicious personality in her and placed her under his control. And then things got worse."

"How worse?"

"First Reploids started going insane." X recalled. "The Mother Elf soon became known as the Dark Elf when her power started driving Reploids insane and irreparably corrupting their personality cores. Thankfully Axl and I were immune to it, but we had a lot more fighting ahead. Then Zero started getting worse."

"I think I can see where this is going…"

"It got to a point where Zero's body was on the verge of being consumed by the Maverick Virus." X recalled. "And so we had to make a difficult choice. We shut him down and transferred his consciousness to a new body, but between the trauma of separation and all the checks we needed to run in order to make sure the new body wasn't infected too, he wouldn't wake up for a hundred years."

"And then what happened?"

"Then Weil stole the original body… and it became something else." X recalled. "What Wily had always intended Zero to become. A monster by the name of Omega. Somehow Weil figured out a way to control Omega, and through him he was able to override the Dark Elf's will completely."

"But wasn't he already in control?" Samus asked. "Sounds like he was just going the extra mile to be a douchebag."

"That's the thing." X said with a sigh. "Even corrupted, the Dark Elf still resisted and her power was out of control. Weil wanted functional thralls, not brain-dead zombies. Something in Zero's original system gave Weil what he needed to get absolute control… until Axl and I beat Omega. Since we couldn't figure out a way to permanently destroy him, we had to seal him and fire him into orbit."

"And how does this tie into this… Neo Arcadia?"

"I've been alive for a very long time." X said. "I've seen so much suffering and destruction, both from humans clashing with Reploids and Reploids fighting each other. I was sick of it all, and I knew we needed to bring a lasting change. I spent centuries fighting for a better way of running things, trying to find a lasting solution."

Again, X sighed, looking like the weight of his years was catching up with him.

"That was Neo Arcadia. The place I founded after the devastation of the Eurasia drop and the Nightmare Crisis and the Jacob's Ladder debacle. We were barely getting started before the Dark Elf crisis, and while we were able to set up the basics, it still took us two horrible years to subdue Omega. We banished Weil and set about trying to contain the Dark Elf, until we were able to construct a trap and seal her… using my original body and willpower as the lock."

Samus stayed silent for a moment, glancing at X over her shoulder.

"And I thought my life was complicated…" she remarked.

"While I was under, it looked like there was finally going to be a lasting peace." X said. "But then, even over ninety years later, there were still pockets of Mavericks out in the world… A couple of years ago, some of them managed to get into Neo Arcadia and attack a school."

X sighed, nervously pacing around the cockpit.

"I only learned of some of these facts long afterwards, but Ciel and her sister were students there. After that, they swore to do everything they could not to let something like that happen again… and that led Ciel to try to create a successor. A copy of me. Someone who could take up the mantle."

"I don't see that copy around." Samus noted. "Why is that?"

"Because there was a major energy crisis." X said bitterly. "Back then we didn't have synthetic energy crystals – not in the numbers we can produce nowadays. And suddenly that copy of mine decided that the needs of humans outweighed the needs of Reploids. He turned Neo Arcadia into a police state and decided that the best way to get through the crisis was to put Reploids down like animals and harvest their reactors."

"And people… just went along with it?" Samus asked in visible disgust.

"There were voices speaking out against it…" X said. "Ciel was one of the most vocal, but that copy was getting increasingly violent and paranoid… and he managed to get the Four Guardians on his side. In the end, Ciel knew it was only a matter of time before things got even uglier… and so she gathered as many people as she could and snuck out of the city with them. Cial stayed behind because she wanted to believe there was a way to turn things around… and because she was afraid things might get to a point where society would break down and people wouldn't even be able to feed themselves."

"Those four?" Samus asked. "I guess that explains why they look so high strung."

"They made a lot of bad choices…" X said a regretful expression. "And they paid the price for it. Not just in the defeats Zero handed them. They were driven by a misplaced sense of duty… and I don't think anyone can punish them more than they've punished themselves."

"You're definitely Rock's brother." Samus remarked. "Quick to forgive."

"It depends." X said, clenching his fists. "I will never forgive Sigma or Weil or Wily."

"You shouldn't." Samus said rather bluntly. "Some people are just trash and nothing will change that."

"Some people have criticized me in the past for being too soft." X said. "Myself included. But I'm no fool. I wouldn't have gone to such lengths if I didn't believe the Guardians were trying in earnest."

"Eventually, they realized that Weil and the insane copy were just leading everyone down a path of destruction... and so they abandoned Neo Arcadia. When that accursed orbital cannon was about to fire on the city, they came back and helped the Resistance get as many people out as they could. I don't think they're genuinely evil people. They've just made bad choices and paid the price."

"You know them better than me." Samus conceded with a shrug. "I've been around long enough to realize when someone has something eating away at them."

* * *

Two days later...

"Another dud…" X muttered to himself, realizing that the location in question, a small resupply station, had been razed to the ground long before his arrival. While the discovery of Alia's message and the considerable influx of extra hands had been sources of renewed hope, he couldn't help feeling a little frustrated.

"_Maybe I should focus on the Megalopolis area…"_ he pondered, recalling Raziel's words.

"Any luck on your end?" he asked through Samus' radio frequency.

"One looted and empty, one destroyed, one completely gone in a rock slide." she informed.

"No luck on any of these either." X said with a sigh. "Outpost 37 was a reinforced bunker, but it didn't even have doors by the time I got there."

"I've been going through those journals." Samus noted. "This Dr. Cain sounded like a pretty big fan of your old man's work."

From what X had been able to piece together after another trip to the Resistance base to consult the growing Neo Alexandria project's records, there were rumors that Dr. Wily had attempted to weaponize with the ominous name of Evil Energy in that region. Records of that time period were scarce, and the name sounded frankly ridiculous to him, but he had also never expected to find himself in the company of Warriors of Light, angels and trans-dimensional travelers.

"_When did my life get so weird?"_ he wondered, before realizing it had rarely resembled anything normal to begin with.

"I know you robot types don't technically need to rest…" Samus said, derailing his train of thought. "But I think for now we should head back and get a little downtime. Trying to do too much in one go isn't good for your head."

"You know what? I think you're right."

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere over the Pacific...

The Guardians were not having much luck either, going from one dud lead to another, but they stubbornly pressed on, as if trying to make up for lost time.

"You don't have to stick around for the whole thing." Leviathan said as she took a break from searching old Hunter underwater outposts in the chopper's hold.

"I don't have to, but I want to." Colbor retorted, glancing at her from the pilot's seat with a determined gleam in his eyes. "You wanted me here to provide support, and that's what I'm going to do."

"I guess my training is starting to get results then." she remarked with a hint of amusement.

"What, were you expecting me to give up?" he asked, sounding a little offended.

"No." she retorted. "Don't be so touchy. It's been a bumpy road, but you're doing fine."

Hours later, back at the settlement...

While X had decided to go for a walk go clear his head, Ciel had invited Samus to take a break at her home.

"Nice place you've got here." the Huntress remarked appreciatively.

"We do what we can." Ciel said.

"It's nice to feel some solid ground under your feet again." Samus remarked as she plopped down on the couch.

"Wait…" Zero said. "Have you been living on your ship this whole time?"

"I've been spending far too much time in ships and space stations." Samus said. "I do own a couple of apartments and safe houses back where I'm from, but I haven't been there in ages."

"Make yourself at home then." Ciel said with a smile. "The kitchen is over there, and if you need to freshen up…"

"You know what?" Samus answered, suddenly perking up. "I think I'll take you up on that."

With that, she stood up and made her way to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, she emerged, clad not in her armor but in a very tight-fitting blue body glove that covered everything from her neck down but still made every curve in her elegant but clearly well-toned body almost painfully apparent. Her long hair, still not completely dry, was cascading loosely, reaching all the way to the middle of her back. Looking soothed, and possibly a little drowsy, she sat back down on the couch, practically sinking into it.

"You could grate cheese on those abs…" Zero quietly remarked, taking a moment from helping Ciel in the kitchen to cast a glance at Samus through the open kitchen door… and feeling a little inadequate.

"You could always change your design a bit." Cial pointed, trying to keep her voice down.

"Nah. I'm me, and that's all I need to be." Zero said, shaking his head. "Just… damn…"

"I just wonder exactly what kind of genetic augmentations she got…" Ciel muttered, glancing somewhere else and feeling a little inadequate herself.

"My ears aren't augmented, but I can still hear you." Samus remarked with an amused smirk, causing the three to stiffen uncomfortably.

"Besides, you're still young." she added, walking up to Ciel and giving her an earnest smile. "Much younger than me. Give it time."

"Just…" Ciel wondered. "No, it's rude to ask a lady her age."

"Yeah." Zero said with a nod. "Even if said lady looks like she's still in her prime."

"Well, if we're going to be honest…" Samus retorted, glancing at Zero. "You don't look so bad yourself, even for a robot. No wonder the little professor can't keep her eyes off of you."

"That's just one of his many qualities." Ciel corrected with a smile, trying to hide her embarrassment to avoid further teasing. "But I admit it can be a little distracting."

"So that's why you didn't want me walking around in my undersuit…" Zero realized.

"Maybe." Ciel said, a flash of crimson appearing on her face as she realized she'd said too much.

* * *

Meanwhile, some distance from the settlement…

"There you are." X said with a smile as he came upon the odd pair in a quiet grove, sitting on a large tree stump.

The boy quirked an eyebrow and raised his head to look at him. He was wearing far more normal clothes – a white winter jacket with matching trousers and boots, and a pair of goggles resting on his forehead. The woman, on the other hand, was still wearing a simple azure dress, seemingly unbothered by the cold despite the fact that it was still the middle of winter.

"How did you find us?" the boy asked, a little surprised.

"I guess I'm getting better at this." X said with a shrug. "Or maybe you just let your guard down?"

"I don't usually bother trying to hide my presence unless I'm on a mission." the boy admitted.

To his relief, X noticed that he seemed a slightly better. The dark circles around his eyes were nearly gone, though it would definitely take some time until his complexion reached a more normal shade.

"Just when was the last time you took a break from what you do out there anyway?" X wondered.

"I… can't even remember anymore." the boy admitted. "I should be helping with the search efforts, but to be completely honest, I could barely stand by the time we made it back."

"You've already done enough." X said, feeling emotional. "Bringing Samus here was more than I could have ever asked for. It's still going to take a while for me to get used to all of this multiverse stuff and all the other things, but for now I'm just glad to have someone around who can tell me more about by siblings."

"I suppose even I can do something right once in a while…" the boy said with a tired smile.

"How did you cross paths with her anyway?" X asked, a little curious.

"Oh…" the boy said, looking a little uncomfortable. "A long time ago, some idiot stole a prototype dimensional drive from a research institution in a far off world. I try to keep an eye out for that kind of thing since we have to be careful about who we allow to roam between universes."

"Just some mid-tier criminal." the young woman recalled. "But he definitely led us on a merry chase and ended up crashing his ship on some resort planet. Guess who happened to be there on vacation."

"Let's just say I was lucky not to get a Power Bomb to the face…" the boy said, his face turning a shade of crimson. "And leave it at that."

"An innocent accident." the young woman said.

"But she's definitely very good at what she does." the boy added, genuinely impressed. "She managed to see through my ruse with the suit and the voice modulator even back then. Maybe she tolerates my inept blundering because in her eyes I'm still a kid."

"For someone who has trouble connecting to others… you're definitely well connected." X noted.

"Simply because I try to make myself useful." the boy retorted. "You never know where you'll end up after an act of kindness to a stranger, but I doubt most of those people will remember me for long."

"Or maybe that's just your perception of things." X countered. "Maybe you need to give people a chance instead of rushing from one mission to the next. Take it from me, that's no way to live."

With that, X glanced at the minicomputer strapped to his left wrist and consulted the map.

"I have to get going." he said with a smile. "Watch yourselves out there."

"You too." the boy said under his breath as he watched X leave. "Good luck, my friend."

* * *

A nagging suspicion had been forming in the back of X's mind for a while, and he finally decided to act on it. Leaving the pair to their own devices, he headed to a more secluded location and then reached into his tunic's pocket.

"_How exactly do you use this thing anyway?"_ he wondered as his fingers located the library card. _"Do I just have to want to-"_

And just like that, he found himself abruptly whisked back to that strange space.

"Ah, good." the archangel remarked. "I have not lost my touch yet."

"I have questions." X said with a furrowed brow.

"I would be disappointed if you did not." the being retorted with the faintest hint of a smile, before placing a marker between the pages and closing the book he was reading.

"If you are who you claim to be, then… do you have some way to speak to those who have already departed?"

"Provided the soul still exists somewhere, it is a matter of finding it." Raziel explained. "I did consider offering you the opportunity to speak to your maker, but such things take time to arrange, even for one such as myself."

X froze in place as he heard those words.

"There are definitely… a lot of things I'd want to ask my father." he admitted, having been too overwhelmed by their first meeting to even consider the topic. "But in that case, would it be possible for me to speak to some old friends as well?"

"I will see what I can do. But bear in mind that there are rules even I must follow. Preparations must be made."

"I see." X said. "Please do let me know."

"How does that thing work anyway?" X wondered, glancing at the large tome lying on the center of the table. "It doesn't look like an ordinary book."

"You are correct in that regard." Raziel said, sounding rather proud of himself. "The Ozar Midrashim is no mere book. It is similar in principle to the Akashic Records, and so it does not passively store what is written upon its pages, but instead actively draws knowledge from the fabric of reality."

"Akashic Records?" X asked, recalling having read the term somewhere in some books about esoteric theories a lifetime earlier. "You mean…"

"This is the ultimate Akashic Record." Raziel said. "While most of them do not actually contain knowledge of the future, this one still carries vast knowledge on a myriad fields... and some truths discerned by myself and penned by my own hand."

"Your own hand?"

"I have been around for an exceedingly long time." Raziel said with a nod. "You could say that I was one of the first scientists, though in those days there was no real distinction between the mundane and the supernatural. No separation between technology, magic and… other things."

"A scientist angel?" X pondered with a degree of amusement.

"Yes. This may be a repository of knowledge that countless masses would kill or die for, but it had its humble beginnings as my research journal an eternity ago."

"Where did you even come from? Is there a heaven out there? A supreme being as many humans have believed in the past?"

"Going directly for the far-reaching questions, are you?" the archangel retorted, scratching his chin. "You will come to know such things yourself, sooner or later."

"I suppose there's no rush." X said with a nod. "I have plenty to keep my head busy for now."

"By the way…" X added, as he prepared to leave. "I couldn't help noticing a thing or two."

"Such as?" the archangel asked, as if already knowing the answer.

"The boy. Caged Light, was it?" X remarked. "He came to my world looking for one of your missing pages, but you had already found it and didn't inform him. He's also the one who went and asked Samus for help… after meeting her in an incident involving another dimensional drive."

With a frown, X voiced his suspicions.

"Have you been manipulating him all this time?"

"I may have been selective with the information I divulged." Raziel said evenly. "And yes, I do keep tabs on those who possess or are close to developing the means of traveling between universes. But the choices were his. I did not make the suggestion of reaching out to the Huntress. He did that on his own after uncovering the connection between her and your siblings."

"But you did want him to meet me." X noted. "Why?"

"I think you already know the answer." Raziel said with a pensive frown. "Both of you have certain common traits… which can make you dangerous to yourselves without the proper support frame. Both of you are going through times of change and inner turmoil. I merely thought you would benefit from each other's acquaintance."

"And what about his companion? Does she know about this?"

"She likely suspects it. But she knows it is for his own good."

The archangel seemed genuinely downcast for a moment, letting out a deep sigh before continuing.

"I meant what I said earlier. I may not be much of a teacher, but it does aggrieve me to see my old friend's pupil so utterly lost. Yet trying to confine the boy would simply indispose him and undo what little progress we have been able to make with his issues."

"So you didn't put her up to this?"

"I did not. The choice to approach you was hers… and I am certain that you are already aware of her reasons."

"Yes." X said. "But is that kind of thing even allowed?"

"O, Child of Light…" the archangel said with evident amusement. "Even if it were not, do you seriously think it would not happen regardless?"

"You and her wouldn't happen to be related, would you?" X asked, a little surprised by his reaction.

"No, though most of our kind would seem rather eccentric by mortal standards, in one way or another."

"But why did you want him to meet me, specifically?" X insisted.

"Because while he may be older than he seems, he is still a lost child. You possess life experience he does not."

"And the Shard?" X asked, suspicious of the rather convenient timing of events.

"I may have aided some of the Warriors of Light in the creation of their Shards, but what they chose to do with them afterwards was their business alone. I do find it intriguing, however, that such a perfect match made its way to you."

"What do you mean?"

"If the presence in that Shard trusted you enough to show you those memories, then you already know. Both you and his original possess great compassion... and potential for growth. If you can master his myriad arts the same way you mastered your ability to replicate the weapons of your enemies, then you may very well become one of the greatest among your peers."

"I don't care about being called great." X said. "I just want to build a future for my world."

"And that is exactly where your greatness stems from. You do not seek it, but you grow into it for the sake of others."

"I never asked for this." X grudgingly said, feeling distinctly uncomfortable about such a being referring to him in such terms. "But I'll take it. The dream is still alive, and I will keep it that way as long as I live."

He then let out a sigh.

"If it is possible for me to speak to Palette, Layer and the rest of our lost friends…" X hesitantly said. "Or my father... you know where to find us. I have things to do."

With that, X turned around, grasping the library card. Once again it reacted to his intent, and in a flash he was back at the shack.

* * *

As Raziel resumed reading another of the tomes, the hooded figure stepped into view.

"What game are you playing here?" the hooded figure asked evenly with his arms crossed.

"I do not play games, child." the archangel retorted. "None of this is for my amusement or my benefit."

"Then what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Sometimes it takes an outsider's perspective to find solutions that are not readily apparent."

"By bringing wounded people together?" the hooded figure deduced.

"They have their own strengths, but imagine the possibilities they can create together."

"I suppose we all do what we can…" the hooded figure conceded. "For tomorrow."

"Don't worry kid." another male voice intervened.

A form clad in crimson stepped into the strange space, with a long yellow scarf fluttering despite the complete lack of wind.

"We all want the same thing." the newcomer added.

"We do." the hooded figure agreed. "The happiness of those we left behind."

"Word of advice though…" the newcomer added, glancing at the archangel. "Don't try to play games with X and the others. They're smarter than you think."

"I do not play games." Raziel reiterated. "But my people have failed mortals time and again either through excess meddling or indifferent spectating."

"And where do you draw the line?" the figure in red asked.

"I want them to grow… until they can resolve their difficulties without needing us." the archangel elaborated. "That is why I try to create the conditions for them to bloom but will not intervene directly unless absolutely necessary."


	25. Perseverance

Chapter 25 – Perseverance

In the following days, the growing group fell into a steady pattern. While X, Zero, Samus and the Guardians continued going through the list of old Hunter outposts and hidden strongholds, with Colbor and Milan in tow.

Cerveau's workshop had become an erstwhile command center in the ongoing operation to assist X locate Alia and his missing siblings.

With her organizational skills, Cial carefully kept track of every visited location, every shred of evidence and unexpected discovery – mission logs from Hunter units, snippets of Alia's notes, signs of old battles in facilities that had ended up in a better state of preservation due to their remote location. Thanks to this, the group's understanding of the events following the Dark Elf's sealing was slowly becoming clearer. By this point, they knew that Alia had kept moving from outpost to outpost, trying to avoid unwanted attention while searching for something.

"It would have taken me months or years to cover this much ground back then." X said as he headed to the next outpost on Samus' ship.

"I can see why the kid went all the way to find me." Samus remarked, glancing over her shoulder from the pilot's seat, clad once again in her suit of armor but with the helmet resting on her lap. "You're the kind to try to do everything yourself."

"I suppose I am." X conceded, leaning against the frame of the cockpit hatch.

"There's a difference between being self-reliant and being just stubborn." Samus said with a hint of disapproval in her tone that reminded him of Zero for some reason. "In fact, don't you think it's time you took a break to clear your head?"

"I couldn't do that." X countered. "Not while you're still going at it."

"The key difference here is that I do take breaks." Samus retorted, rolling her eyes. "Even a two hour power nap can do wonders when you're out on an extended mission. You, on the other hand..."

Both X and Zero had quickly realized that the Huntress was not only seasoned and exceedingly competent, but also cast a commanding presence that even someone as stubborn as X found difficult to ignore. When she spoke, others listened.

"I suppose you have a point. But…"

"This ship is like a home away from home." she said in an even tone. "I have everything I need here to get some quick rest, freshen up and pick up the pace."

"But…" X tried to protest.

"You don't need to worry about me." she insisted. "It'll take more than some decrepit ruins to do me in."

"Besides…" she added, narrowing her eyes at him. "Your body may not need to rest, but your head sure does."

Knowing she had struck a nerve, she pressed the advantage, slightly softening her tone but still hitting the nail on the head.

"I get it. You're anxious about this whole thing. But you're getting reckless. Sloppy."

"I know." X admitted, touching a spot on his chest armor where an old grenade had left several ugly scratches on the shiny new plating. "I'm getting distracted... and making more mistakes the longer this goes on. I guess you're better at reading people than I gave you credit for."

"In my line of work, that can be a lifesaving skill." Samus said with a hint of pride. "Now then, are you going to listen?"

"I suppose I could use a little break." X conceded, his lips curling up into a slight pout. "Besides, there are a couple of things at the settlement that need my attention."

"You really are Rock's brother…" she remarked with an amused smirk, watching his expression.

"Huh?"

"I know genetics aren't really a thing when dealing with robots, but I remember him making the exact same face when your old man would tell him to take a break."

"You know…" X noted. "When I met you for the first time and you told me about your line of work, I wasn't expecting you to have this softer side. I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover."

"You should be flattered." she retorted with a confident grin. "I save this side of myself for my friends."

"Not many people would have dropped everything to come all the way here like you did either."

"Your siblings deserve better than to end up forgotten in some buried ruin." she said, narrowing her eyes. "I owe them that much."

"Besides…" she added, reclining her seat slightly. "The Federation doesn't own me. After all the crap they've pulled, they can clean up their own mess for once."

"You did mention some disagreements with them…"

"That's one way of putting it." she said with a scowl. "I almost lose count of how many times they've tried to mess with something beyond their understanding or their ability to control, then called me in to deal with it… and then thrown a hissy fit when I destroyed it before it endangered the whole galaxy."

"But is this the kind of life your foster family would have wanted for you when they took you in?" X asked, looking a bit downcast.

"Probably not." she conceded. "Your old man probably wouldn't have wanted this for you either. But they're all gone now and some things you just have to do."

"I remember his words on that recording." X reminisced. "He gave me the ability to choose and hoped the world would allow that choice to be a peaceful one. Maybe now I won't have to fight anymore."

He shook his head to push away those thoughts and stepped closer to the pilot's seat.

"Well… I'm not sure how much time I can afford to spend away from my world. But if you ever need a hand out there…"

"I'll keep that in mind." she said, her expression softening slightly. "Now then… shall I turn this thing around?"

"I can't use the old teleporter network just yet, but I did bring a recall unit with me." X said, patting a bulge in his backpack. "Stay safe out there and call if you need me."

"Will do."

And with that, X activated the device, disappearing in a flash and reappearing an instant later at the local Resistance garrison. For safety reasons, especially in case of emergency, X and the others had all primed their recall units to take them to a dedicated room at that location.

With a weary sigh, he stepped out of the receiving room, waved at the guard posted outside and made his way through the corridors. He paused for a moment and glanced in the direction of Axl's quarters.

"_He's been quiet for too long. I should go check on him."_

* * *

Meanwhile, at the local Trans Server terminal…

In the crimson light of the setting sun, a distinctive figure stepped through the metal doors.

Zero too had eventually returned home, but for a different reason.

Ragnarok had been a harrowing experience for Ciel. The thought of losing Zero had made her become considerably more protective of him, despite the logical side of her mind telling her she was being silly as he was far more durable and experienced than her. Wanting to put her at ease, he had decided to head back for a while.

As Zero emerged from the small reinforced metal building, once again clad in his red armor, matching helmet and black undersuit and freshly returned from his latest excursion, he quickly found himself in the petite scientist's grasp. His boots were caked with an unnaturally thick mud that was beginning to dry, his ponytail was dusty and a portion of his breastplate was splotched with some sort of thick, stinky sap. She still didn't care, throwing her arms around him.

"I realize I'm being selfish." she timidly said, though her arms wouldn't budge. "Taking time from the search and all."

"I told you before." he said, equal parts amused and perplexed at her reaction as he patted her head. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"I know." she admitted with a pained expression. "But after that time... being away from you for too long makes me nervous."

He understood that for someone like her, being in love for the first time was a complicated and unsettling experience. From what he had seen in his long life, he knew that such things were rarely simple and could be downright terrifying at times.

For his part, life had thrown him another curve ball. He had never expected to feel such emotions again after losing Iris and although Ciel had managed to break through his initial reluctance a portion of him was still ill-at-ease. His past failure to protect Iris was a factor, but a part of him also still wondered if the petite prodigy clinging to him was not making a mistake.

"I get where you're coming from." he finally said after a while. "We've both been through a lot."

Once again, he saw the glimmer of curiosity in her eyes and sensed her urge to say something, which she quickly suppressed. The subject of Iris in particular had been a difficult one for him to discuss with Ciel and while she had heard some details here and there, X and Axl had not said much out of consideration for their old friend. Still, she knew enough to understand that Zero carried his own burdens. As much as she wanted to ask questions, she couldn't bring herself to touch that particular wound after his previous breakdown. Instead, she settled for walking side by side with him, her hand never letting go of his arm.

"You've been out and about for nearly a week." she lightly scolded, finally letting go only to grab his arm and lightly tug at it. "We need to get you checked up."

"You know X. If I hadn't, then he'd be out there for two or three."

"Both of you can be impossible sometimes." she scolded, though there was no trace of anger in her voice, only concern.

"I'm not made of glass, you know." he said with a confident smile that made her feel a little lightheaded.

Instead of letting her lead him directly to the workshop, he made the walk last a bit longer, taking a more scenic route. By that time, she already knew of his habit of going on walks to clear his head. She gladly took the detour, glad to spend some more time with him. By his guarded expression and his body language, she also had the feeling he wanted to get something off his chest.

"_When did I get so good at reading his moods anyway?" _she wondered with a hint of pride.

He finally stopped in front of the empty spot that had turned into an unofficial gathering place for outdoors meals. The snow was beginning to melt and though it Ciel noticed that someone had taken the time to set a line of cobblestones in a large square delineating the patch of earth. More permanent metal tables were also in the process of being installed.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking during these trips." Zero said, glancing at the melting snow. "About the future. It's funny since X used to be the one always worrying about that kind of stuff."

"_I guess the tables have turned." _he scoffed inwardly.

"The future?" Ciel asked, looking up to speak to him face to face.

"Things are still changing." Zero elaborated. "The people here don't have to keep running and hiding like before."

For emphasis, he slowly swept his arm in front of him.

"We're not just rebuilding, but growing. There are no more enemies to fight, at least for now."

"We've come a long way…" she said with a smile. "And much of it was thanks to you."

"You give me too much credit." he said, still a little bashful about her undiluted praise. "Anyway..."

"I don't want to jinx it but it looks like things are going to stay quiet." Zero mused. "It's taking some time to get used to that, but it's not exactly a bad way to live."

"You do look calmer these days." Ciel noted. "When your memories started coming back there was this… tension about you half the time."

"You know I've got a lot of baggage." he said with a nod. "But thanks to you, I think I've found some peace for myself."

His words elicited a contented sigh from her. Looking back, he couldn't help realizing how she had set him on the path to regaining his full range of emotions after his reawakening. In the process, without realizing it, he had also become the center of her world. While she wanted everyone around her to be happy, there was something about his praise and gratitude in particular that had always left her a little light-headed, even before realizing what she was feeling.

"I don't want to stay too stuck to the past, but I'm not getting complacent either." he added, bringing her head back down from the clouds. "I'm going to keep getting stronger in case someone else tries to mess with what we have here. But what about you?"

"I can definitely think of a few things to do once my work here is done." Ciel said with a smile. "I haven't forgotten what you said."

"Assuming you don't change your mind later." Zero pointed out. "You're still-"

"I'm still young, I know." Ciel cut him off, staring at him face to face. "But let me make myself perfectly clear."

He knew she could be assertive at times, despite her meek exterior and gentle demeanor. Still, the change in gears always stirred something in him that he couldn't quite explain.

"As you've probably noticed by now, I can be as stubborn as X… or you." she said with the faintest hint of a smirk that reminded him once again that Cial was indeed her twin. Without warning, she abruptly caught him in a bear hug, with surprising strength for her size and build, her gaze still fixated on him.

"After what you said back there..." she continued, growing slightly flustered. "After the things you made me feel… there's no way in hell I'm changing my mind. I may have to wait a year or two or ten, but until I hear a definite no, I'm not budging."

"Uh…" he muttered, at a loss for words.

"So take responsibility!" she added in an overly dramatic fashion, leaving him utterly floored.

"That sounded so wrong…" he muttered. "You may be a genius, but you shouldn't be saying those things out loud."

"I know, but I've wanted to say it for a while." she admitted, before letting out a giddy laugh, trying to hide the crimson tinge creeping upon her face.

After a moment to catch her breath, she finally released him and beckoned him to walk with her, which he gladly obliged.

"To be fair…" he pointed out with a rather sheepish expression. "I didn't even realize I was doing it. Or that you were doing the same to me."

"I still can't help wondering if this was Axl's plan all along." she said half-jokingly.

"Only he would be able to answer that." Zero said with a shrug. "But I'll say this much. He may be a little troll, but there's more to him than meets the eye."

At the mention of Axl, he couldn't help feeling concerned about his old friend's breakdown. As far as Zero knew, he was still cooped up in his room and unwilling to speak to most people.

"_C'mon Axl… You're going to bounce back from this too… right?"_

"We can give it another try later." Ciel said, sensing the shift in his mood. "He'll have to come out eventually."

"He may have the face of a boy, but he's stronger than most people." Zero said with conviction. "That said… I've never seen him like this before."

"We'll figure something out." Ciel said with a smile. "We'll just have to put our heads together. But what exactly happened to him?"

"Sorry, but… it's not something I'm ready to discuss." Zero said, shaking his head. "If he wants to tell you, that's up to him."

Once again she noticed how his more sensitive side emerged when the two were alone. He made no effort to conceal the delicate affection she stirred in him or the mixture of concern and frustration he felt regarding his old friends at times. Where others saw a peerless warrior and a hero – which he admittedly was – she also saw a kind soul who tried to protect those around him. While the memory loss and subsequent recovery had been difficult, they had also laid the entirety of his character bare.

"He's lucky to have a friend like you." she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"_But what about you?" _he wondered. _"When did you get so strong, so bold? No, when did you start showing it so openly?"_

Day by day she seemed to be growing more confident, and sometimes even a little taller, as if she had willed herself to grow up a little faster. While at this point Zero knew that several of the children in the Class of Fifty had been genetically enhanced, out of politeness he had never asked if the same had been the case for the twins.

"I may not say it to his face, but it goes both ways." Zero pointed out. "Sure, he can be a bit of a pain when he starts with his antics, but it just wasn't the same without him around."

With a wistful smile, Ciel once again stared intently at him.

"I must confess I'm a little jealous."

"What?" Zero asked, blinking.

"Getting to know someone for centuries." she elaborated. "A human like me will never know what that's like… unless we give up our humanity and become something else like that monster Weil."

"You're far too young to be thinking about that kind of thing." Zero retorted with a scowl. "Enjoy what's in front of you."

"That's the plan." she said, staring intently at him, once again showing her bolder side. By the look on her face, her meaning was more than clear.

"I'm still not sure how exactly I ended up in this situation." Zero mused, finding the presence of spirit for a little levity. "But I can think of worse fates."

"Dummy." Ciel retorted in mock outrage. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of puppy following you around."

"I'm not sure a puppy could compete with that." he pointed out with the hint of a smile. "I was just a bit surprised how easily your mother and sister accepted the situation. I half expected them to bust out the torches and pitchforks for corrupting an impressionable girl or something like that."

That remark caught her off guard and for the first time in a while she burst into laughter.

"As if!" she scoffed once she was finally able to stop laughing. "What, are you scared of us?"

With a smirk, he lowered his voice and leaned closer.

"Confidentially… what you do to me can be a bit scary sometimes."

"You're going to have to be a little more specific, mister." she retorted, playing coy.

"Oh, I don't know…" he said, playing along. "The way you brick my brain sometimes. Not to mention you taught Alouette how to do it too. Even your mother starts blanking out when she does it."

Ciel backed away slightly, stopped directly in front of him and stared at him with a mischievous smirk.

"You mean like this?" she asked, before making the most adorable smile she could muster.

In response, he backed away in an overly dramatic manner, covering his eyes with the back of his hand as if he had just been blinded. Amused by his reaction, she laughed softly.

"I'm gonna have to start wearing sunglasses at this rate." he joked even as the sound of her laughter momentarily made him forget which way he was going.

Never in his life had Zero imagined he would find himself acting so bashfully. Once, he had kept most people at arm's length, saving his sense of humor for the few people who managed to get past his barriers. He had spent most of his life fighting, to the point where the lasting peace had left him feeling a bit lost. Looking back at his time with the Resistance and the way things had turned out, he couldn't help smiling.

"_Maybe peace is making me soft. But __this wouldn't be a bad way to spend the rest of my life.__"_

"Hey!" Ciel playfully called out. "Where are you going?"

"See what I mean about bricking my brain?" he scoffed, stopping in place. "I don't even know anymore."

"Come with me then." she said, grabbing his arm again. "See where this path leads."

"I think I might."

* * *

The next day...

"I had the feeling there was more to the tale." Samus remarked through her suit's radio transmitter while going through yet another abandoned outpost, underneath the streets of an old metropolis. "Alia really sounds like the kind of person your old man would have loved to meet."

"You could say that, yes." X said though the radio, sitting at the workshop.

"She definitely wasn't just a pretty face." Zero reminisced as he pored over the updated notes at the workshop alongside X and the twins. "She was at the core of the Mother Elf project and wouldn't have just randomly hidden out there. She had a plan."

Zero had harbored some doubts about the Huntress and her sudden appearance, even knowing that the strange visitors seemingly had the ability to travel between worlds, but her strong personality and obvious skill were slowly winning him over.

As for the Guardians, they'd had their share of questions as well, but given the fact that they'd already decided to set their guilt and discomfort aside for X's sake, they had been surprisingly accepting of the newcomer. Being able to do something for X was a source of pride for the four, but they clearly did not want to turn away competent help or antagonize a potential new ally.

"It's a pity she wasn't able to finish whatever she was planning." Zero added with a grimace, glancing at X. "It would at least have spared you all those years stuck in place."

"Things got pretty hectic back then." X recalled. "With you out of commission and the madness spreading, we had to pull out all the stops. I know she was working on some sort of contingency plan, but by the look of things maybe she just didn't have enough time."

"And to think that the Mother Elf was derived from something like the Nightmare Virus…" Cial pondered, still trying to process the revelation.

"The reality altering elements, at least." X said. "Honestly, while I've always been interested in science myself, some of the stuff Alia, Estelle and the others cooked up in that lab looked more like magic than anything else."

"_The distinction between one and the other is rather arbitrary, if you peer deep enough."_ the replica of Usul chimed in as the Radiant Shard lit up on the workbench. _"Some of your own systems are so advanced they might be considered magic in some more primitive worl__ds__. Or look at the Ozar Midrashim with its Akashic __Record __abilities and tesseract compression. Potentially infinite data in a finite container."_

A little surprised, X glanced in the Shard's direction.

"_What?"_ the presence in the Shard asked, sounding a little smug. _"I told you before that my original was a master of countless arts. __Not just combat and arcana but also academia.__ Much of that knowledge will be difficult to put to use without the appropriate resources, but it's all here."_

"_And then there's the Shard." _X noted.

"_To be fair, w__e already had soul crystals __for centuries__.__ They worked on very similar principles, but were designed with the intent of storing the combined repertoire of a single discipline __and the deeds of its __inheritors__."_

"Not gonna space out on us again, are you?" Zero asked, waving a hand in front of X's face.

"No time for that now." X said, amused by the fact that his old friend had still not lost the ability to read his moods.

"Is he chattering again?" Cial asked, quirking an eyebrow. She had not quite yet figured out how to interact with the entity and that was frustrating her to a surprising degree.

"He definitely has a lot of stories." X said. "When we have more time, maybe we should try to figure out how to put together some kind of interface so you can all speak to him too."

"That would likely be an intriguing exchange." Cial mused.

"_Not to mention a certain someone seems to be avoiding me."_ she thought with some annoyance, recalling her previous encounter with the armored figure.

"Anyway…" Ciel chimed in. "The search area continues to narrow. What do you figure Alia was looking for anyway?"

"Difficult to say." X said, scratching his chin. "When things started spiraling out of control we barely had time to speak. I was constantly on the field putting out fires and she'd spend weeks at a time locked away in the lab."

"_I really should have said something to her back then… even if she knew." _ he silently chided himself.

"_What if I missed my chance and…" _he wondered, feeling another bout of anxiety and frustration creeping on him.

Then, drawing upon his renewed hope, he reasserted himself.

"_No, I'm not __doing this to myself again__!"_

"But wait…" Ciel realized. "If Alia knew this ancestor of ours…"

The petite scientist's intervention was exactly what X needed to shift his focus to happier thoughts.

"She'll probably have some stories to tell about those days, yes." X said with an amused smile, before glancing in Zero's direction.

"What?" Zero asked. "Is there something on my face?"

"Family heirloom jokes aside…" Cial said, completely deadpan, earning herself a grumble from Zero. "I don't think any of us knew that X's paramour was actually an accomplished scientist."

While she continued to try to act serious and composed, the others had definitely noticed that she had a snarkier side and the ability to deliver certain remarks with a completely serious face.

"She really didn't like talking about the days before her time with the Hunters." X recalled with a sigh. "Lots of office politics and pettiness. An old friend of hers was ostracized for his unorthodox methods. He ended up going too far in an attempt to prove himself… and lost his mind."

"Oh?" Cial asked.

"I think… there were other reasons." X said with a frown. "I think Gate cared for her in his own way. He felt this need to prove that he was right, in part to earn her recognition. As for Alia, she felt terribly guilty for her inability to prevent certain things from happening… and so did I."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"He played with things he shouldn't have and lost his mind." Zero said rather bluntly. "And X had to put a stop to his antics."

"He made his share of mistakes." X added. "But he didn't deserve what happened to him and his fate cut her deep."

Zero sighed and shook his head.

"You were always a big softy. But there was no coming back from what he did to himself."

Ciel had the feeling that there was something more to the story, but it was her less tactful sister who voiced the same thoughts.

"So was he your rival or something?" Cial asked, cutting to the point but without any hint of levity.

"That was the farthest thing from my mind back then." X said with a shrug. "Besides, I never did get around to putting some things into words. I should have."

"I think she always knew." Zero said. "You couldn't lie to save your life and you weren't that good at keeping secrets either."

"Probably." a familiar voice chimed in as the door to the shed opened.

The others turned and saw Axl coming in, wearing a clean Resistance uniform without the accompanying beret. He looked tired, with a rather blank expression, but his steps were firm and measured.

"What did I miss?" he asked.

"We were getting worried." X said with visible relief.

"I wasn't gonna do anything stupid." Axl retorted, his tone still flat. "But I appreciate the concern buddy."

The change in his demeanor was striking and the twins silently exchanged glances. X, Zero and Lune were still being tight lipped about what exactly had happened, but they could still tell that he had been through a difficult ordeal.

"Are you going to lend a hand as well then?" Cial asked in a neutral tone.

"Wasn't gonna sit around moping forever." Axl said, his tone still flat as he felt her gaze upon him. "What?"

"Are you quite all right?" she asked, rather taken aback by the change in his mood.

"I dunno." Axl simply answered. "But don't worry. I'm not here to piss you off. The circus is closed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"It means the clown has retired." Axl retorted in an unusually cold tone.

"Axl…" Ciel tried to say, also perplexed and concerned by the shift in his demeanor.

"Don't worry about it." Axl said flatly, reluctant to go into further detail. "We're here for my old pals, not my personal crap. Now then, how about getting me up to speed so I can pull my weight around here?"

* * *

A few hours later, back at Ciel's house, with Axl filled in and Samus having dropped in for a quick meal...

"So, you didn't have a dimension drive back in the day." X noted, leaning against one of the walls with a pensive expression. "How did you come and go?"

"Well, as it turns out, the Master Hand's tampering left a few holes in reality." Samus explained, taking a break from devouring a massive bowl of salad with croutons and olive oil with surprising delight as she sat at the kitchen table. "For a time, at least. We were never able to stabilize them completely with the tech we had, but some breaches lingered for a few years."

While her ship seemed to have enough preserved rations to last her for decades, the taste of home cooked food was clearly a treat. While a reliable supply of meat in the wake of Neo Arcadia's destruction was still a ways off, Lune's cooking seemed to be a more than acceptable substitute.

"So I guess you lost touch after the breaches closed?" X deduced.

"Yeah." Samus said with a sigh. "If I'd known what was going on here, I would have tried to get back sooner. This whole time relativity between universes is a load of bullshit."

She paused for a moment and her face twisted into a scowl.

"I did stumble across information on another method during my travels… but I didn't like what I found."

"What exactly did you find?"

"Rumors of some ancient structures." she explained. "Cross Gates, they were called. But according to the texts, there were several problems with those."

"Like what?"

"They were borderline indestructible. That doesn't sound so bad but they could activate randomly and unless you knew what you were doing there was no telling where you could end up. There was also a chance those random activations could drop something nasty on your doorstep. Alien horrors and who knows what else."

"I see why that would be an issue." X said with a nod.

"Some civilizations considered them literal gates of hell." Samus continued. "They either hid them or actually managed to destroy them, so I was never able to actually find one."

"So what makes you so sure they actually exist?" Ciel asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I'd dismiss them as a hoax, if not for the fact that they're mentioned in texts from several civilizations in opposite ends of my galaxy." Samus explained. "Civilizations without any connection to each other, that existed in completely different eras."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you definitely don't fit the bounty hunter stereotype." Zero remarked.

"Well, since I already spent most of my time crawling around ruins for a living, I figured I might as well pick up some more skills." Samus said with a hint of pride. "Back when things were a bit quieter, I took some of my savings and signed up for some archaeology and xenoarchaeology courses."

"You really are full of surprises." X remarked.

"I've also had more suits and ships destroyed than I'd care to count." Samus recalled with a sigh. "I can't always rely on gadgets to get the job done."

"Oh?" Ciel asked, already anticipating a thrilling tale.

"I've learned a thing or two about preparation since my younger days." the Huntress elaborated. "My current ship is packed to the gills with custom upgrades. Once I figured out how the Chozo technology works I also built a set of spare suits and hid some in secure caches. As for Adam, I made some adjustments to allow him to transfer into one of the suits or a different system if anything happens to the ship."

"Your AI friend doesn't talk much, but I get the feeling you two go a long way back." X noted.

"You could say that, yes." Samus said with a fond smile. "Back in the day I wasn't really big on teaming up or having someone looking over my shoulder… especially not an AI… but he grows on you after a while."

* * *

Two days later, at the crack of dawn…

After returning from his latest expedition, Phantom headed to the workshop. With Cial temporarily out, he placed a disc with his mission report on the table for her to process later. As he prepared to leave again and get back to work, however, Fefnir and Faucon stepped inside.

"So…" Faucon said. "You haven't given me my next assignment yet."

"If we need something punched, we'll let you know." Fefnir scoffed, also freshly returned from his latest foray.

"No need to be a dick about it." Faucon retorted, still a little embarrassed at the spectacular failure with the experimental gauntlets.

Suddenly, the portable communications console they had set up on the largest of the workbenches came to life.

"We're on our way back." Leviathan's voice said. "Tell X we found something at Ocean Lab 32. He's going to want to see this."

"You OK over there?" Fefnir asked in another unusual display of concern. "You don't sound…"

"Some idiot left the automated defenses running." Leviathan grumbled in annoyance. "Nothing I couldn't handle but I was caught off guard. Guess I'm a bit rusty."

"You know I will have to report this." Phantom said, trying to mask his concern underneath the usual layer of stoicism.

"Yeah yeah…" Leviathan grumbled, though she could read her sibling's intent. Phantom could be surprisingly thoughtful, through for whatever reason he still felt the need to keep up the act.

Eager to prove themselves after an extended absence, the Guardians were being considerably less reasonable than X and Zero, pushing themselves beyond what anyone had the right to expect.

After much debating, X and the twins had allowed them to prolong their forays, on the condition that they reported back regularly and immediately informed the others should they run into any complications. X knew he could technically try to leverage their respect for him in order to get his way, but he felt distinctly uncomfortable about such a prospect, especially when they were putting so much effort into the whole endeavor for his sake.

* * *

As soon as Leviathan ended the call, Colbor stood up from the craft's co-pilot seat.

"I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be flying this thing right now." he said, crossing his arms.

Though the training regimen had had a rough start, he was slowly becoming more confident and assertive. This directness still caught Leviathan by surprise though.

"Don't count me out just yet." she answered, trying to stay composed despite the painful-looking gouge on the left side of her midsection from a surprise burst of turret fire.

"Isn't this why you wanted me to tag along?" Colbor pointed out. "In case something went wrong?"

"Well well…" she noted with a smirk. "And to think you could barely even look at me when we started your training."

"Don't change the subject." he retorted before heading to the back of the cabin and retrieving a repair kit from its wall-mounted holder.

"I can take care of myself." she said, casting a half-hearted glare. "I won't be of any use to Master X if I get myself scrapped."

"You're even more stubborn than he is sometimes." Colbor countered, before tossing her the repair kit. "That's saying something."

The fact that he was trying to be firm while still avoiding touching her did not escape her notice and she decided to have a little fun at his expense.

"What, are you going to restrain me if I don't comply?" she joked.

"I-If I have to." he retorted, caught off guard by the attempt at levity and somewhat embarrassed by the insinuation, but standing his ground. "Now stop being unreasonable."

"You've got guts." she said with a genuine smile. "I was right about you."

"What do you mean?" Colbor asked, caught off guard by the compliment.

"You just needed a little push in the right direction. Mind over specs, remember?"

With that, she rose from the pilot's seat with the repair kit in hand and headed out to the back compartment.

"Have it your way then." she said, before glancing back over her shoulder to have the last word. "No peeking now."

Before he could stammer an indignant retort, she closed the hatch separating the compartments. Colbor sighed and shook his head, then took over the pilot's seat.

"_I didn't expect her to give in so easily."_ he silently mused._ "Honestly, she can still be a bit scary sometimes."_

* * *

Elsewhere...

After another walk across the settlement to clear his mind, X stopped in front of the school grounds and sat down on a nearby bench.

"_Funny."_ he thought with a smirk. _"I finally learn how to control this power a little better, but there's nothing for me to do with it here."_

Despite the challenges of setting up a functional settlement and overseeing its rapid growth, the Resistance had exceeded expectations. Cial's arrival and the efforts of the Resistance's core leadership had been a factor, but X had also heard rumors that more former members of the Class of Fifty had been trickling in to lend a hand. It would still take some time to fully bring back the standards of living the residents of Neo Arcadia were accustomed to, but for the time being bellies were full, people were safe and despite the occasional squabbling between former Neo Arcadian loyalists and the general population, things were almost a little too quiet.

"_I suppose I should glad of it… while it lasts."_

Having found the peace he'd always sought, X was slowly coming to terms with his new role. While he had been a civic leader before in the short span between the founding of Neo Arcadia and the sealing of the Dark Elf, he had not completely lost his timid nature. He would have gladly faded from the spotlight if not for the fact that Ciel and the others were still hard at work.

Lost in his thoughts, X's mind drifted back to the humble beginnings of Neo Arcadia. Founded a few years after the Jacob's Ladder incident, in a pocket of tranquility between crises, it had been meant to be a bulwark for those displaced by the immense devastation of the preceding decades, a place for new beginnings.

Through his efforts, X had found himself thrust into the role of administrator, much to his chagrin. This had meant spending far less time in the company of his friends. Zero had actually seen the beginnings of this era, keeping a careful vigilance before the loss of his original body and the ensuing slumber.

The Hunters had been reluctant to relocate from their old HQ, given their historical attachment to the place. Unfortunately, X's added obligations had also meant spending more time away from his old friends. However, a portion of the research and administrative divisions had been shifted to Neo Arcadia in order to assist with activities. During this time, X had once again entertained the notion of finally speaking to Alia about a long overdue matter, but the aftermath of the Mother Elf project had abruptly changed the circumstances again.

With a smirk, he recalled one of his discussions with Zero back in those days.

* * *

Another time and place, on a balcony overlooking the rapidly growing cityscape...

"I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life." his old friend told him. "But I'll say this much. You're not me. You don't need to be me. Enjoy what you have while it lasts."

"I suppose you have a point…" X conceded, resting his hands on the railing. In the distance he could see the buzz of construction activity and the skeletal frames of what would eventually become massive towers.

"Of course I do, Reploid Jesus." Zero scoffed. "Let someone else do the worrying for a while."

"Reploid Jesus?" X asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You do have this thing with saving everyone." Axl chimed in as he opened the sliding metal door and stepped onto the balcony, with Palette conspicuously clinging to his arm.

"And a bit of a martyr complex, to be blunt." Zero added.

"She's probably gonna wait as long as it takes." Palette added, wagging her finger at X. "But I wouldn't keep her waiting for too long if I were you."

As if on cue, alarms started blaring across the building. Biting down a curse, X dashed out of the balcony and back inside.

"You jinxed it." Axl sighed, glancing at Palette.

"Guess we'll just have to get this crap sorted so he'll finally get on with it." Zero said with a shrug.

* * *

X was abruptly whisked out of his reminiscence by the beeping of his internal communicator.

"Yes?" he answered.

"You're going to want to see this." Cial said, going straight to the point.

"Should we recall the others first?"

"Fefnir and Phantom have already checked in." Cial informed. "Harpuia has gone to check on Leviathan and ensure she makes it back safely."

Cial's choice of words as not lost on him and he couldn't help tensing up.

"Did something happen to her?"

"Just a case of bruised pride. She will be fine with some repairs. She is the one who found it, actually, so you still have some time."

"I see. Thank you."

X stood up from the bench, feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety, along with a pang of regret.

"This time… I'll do things right." he muttered to himself, placing a hand on his chest.

Strolling through the streets at a hurried pace despite Cial's reassurance, X let his thoughts drift to a different subject – Dr. Cain's recently uncovered journals. After finally setting some time aside to visit the old Resistance base, X had perused the old pages containing more details about the capsule where Dr. Cain had found him, as well as some records contained within said capsule's data storage.

"_I guess Raziel was right. If I want to find out what happened to Rock and Roll, I'll have to head into Old Megalopolis. But what could have happened there to block his sight?"_

So engrossed was X on his thoughts that he did not notice Zero heading in his direction.

"Hey. Wake up." Zero called out, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Sorry." X muttered. "It doesn't take much to send my mind into overdrive these days."

Zero led him to the workshop, where the twins, the Guardians and Axl were already waiting. Colbor, Milan and Faucon, whether out of respect for X's privacy or because the small building was starting to get a bit crowded, were waiting in the back.

"Before you say anything…" Leviathan preempted. "I'm fine. Now then, you'll want to see this."

With that, she approached the table and inserted a small data disc into a portable holographic projector, which soon crackled to life, projecting a familiar face. X couldn't help noticing how tired Alia looked in the recording, not to mention the dents in her field armor.

"Communications are still out across the world…" Alia mused, momentarily putting down the portable keyboard she was typing on. "But at least we shouldn't have to worry about the mindless packs down here."

She then turned directly to the camera.

"X, I still don't know how I'm going to get this to you, but I'll worry about that later. If I know you, you'll probably be looking all over for me. Listen."

"That's so like her." X remarked.

"She definitely knows you." Zero said.

The recording continued.

"With the Mother Elf out of control and those hordes of Reploids rampaging around, HQ wasn't safe. As I mentioned before, Signas ordered us to scatter and make for the fortified emergency outposts. I have something different in mind though."

She paused for a moment, seemingly to collect her thoughts, and then continued.

"By now, you've seen what that… Dark Elf's corruption is doing to Reploid personality cores. Since the research that led to her creation was originally based on the Nightmare Virus, I thought I might be able to find something useful in Gate's files."

She sighed and glanced off-screen.

"So far, I've been able to restore one test subject. I have two more in stable containment, couldn't safely replicate those results yet."

It was then that X and the others noticed the plated metal box resting on her lap, almost like a small coffer. The protective way she was holding it left no doubt as to its purpose.

"Assuming I can pull this off, I still need to do more tests and find a way of deploying a countermeasure on a larger scale."

"We're racing against the clock here, Alia…" a male voice chimed in from off-camera in an urgent tone. Once again X felt like he'd heard that voice before but couldn't quite place it.

"Oh let me have this." she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"I know the last few months have been hell for you." the male voice said, sounding a bit uncomfortable. "But remember, we're not out of the woods yet."

"Another reason to do this now, before something else goes off the rails."

"Sorry…" the male voice said. "I'll... wait outside."

Alia sighed and glanced in the voice's direction. A hint of sadness flashed across her face and then she sighed and turned back to the camera.

"I don't know what's going on out there and it's probably going to take some time until I'm able to find out." she continued. "I wish I could just go find Zero and wake him up, but we know that's not an option right now. Just… stay safe out there. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you at a time like this."

With that, the recording ended, leaving X once again dealing with a surge of emotions.

"Even with the world falling apart around her, she was still driven." he noted, swelling with pride.

"Do you think… she actually found a solution?" Ciel asked. "After all, if she was involved in the creation of the Mother Elf in the first place…"

"It is too early to speculate." Cial cautioned. "But this is a promising lead."

"And it gives me an idea." Zero said. "I still don't know how exactly Weil was able to use the virus and my old body to control the Mother Elf, but maybe I can at least try to find her."

"Whatever for?" Cial asked, not following his logic.

"If Alia is still out there somewhere, that means her core should still be intact." Zero explained. "The Mother Elf was based on some of the principles behind the Nightmare Virus, which means she can not only alter reality, but also sense and affect Reploid cores."

For her part, Samus and the Guardians silently listened, digesting every scrap of information.

"_A formidable woman, to be certain."_ Phantom mused.

"_She's got guts. No wonder X is hellbent on finding her." _Fefnir thought.

"_Raziel wasn't able to find her or my siblings…"_ X pondered. _"But since Reploid specs are derived from mine, and mine from theirs… the Mother Elf could be the key to finding all of them."_

He still wasn't quite sure how he was going to explain the strange encounters with the confounding celestial librarian to the others, but the fact that he had a possible new lead was his overriding concern at the moment.

"Hey!" Ciel cried out, still examining the recording. "There's more!"

The next part of the recording contained only sound. They heard footsteps echoing in the silent chamber and then the voice of Alia's male companion spoke.

"You're probably wondering how things got to this point, X…" he said, sounding noticeably tired. "The truth is, Alia has been combing some of the high security outposts where a certain fool's dangerous research was kept."

X stiffened.

"I know that voice… I'm sure of it..."

"You're right…" Zero added. "But from where?"

"Alia has the right idea, but I'm not sure if we have enough time." the voice continued. "Listen…"

The voice sighed and then its tone became more urgent and somewhat mournful.

"I tried to keep her away from that place. Even offered to go there alone. She wouldn't budge."

"_That place?" _X wondered, again struck by the nagging sense of familiarity.

"Some of the more sensitive data was in a separate sub-level. For all his bluster, I'm sure Sigma couldn't have found it on his own."

"_Wait, what? Is he talking about…?"_

"You must go back… to the cradle of nightmares."

And with that, the recording truly ended.

"The cradle of nightmares…" X muttered to himself. "There's only one place he could be talking about… But who was he?"

* * *

Later that day…

In the outskirts of the settlement, while Samus was taking stock of the supplies in her ship and copying the updated mission log to Adam's databanks, a familiar figure in white armor stepped closer with his companion in tow.

"I was wondering where you'd run off to." Samus remarked in lieu of greeting, though she did pick up that something was off from his body language. "What's the matter?"

"Samus… I'm terribly sorry." he hesitantly said. "I wanted to stick around and see what more I can do, but..."

"Already leaving to put out more fires?" she deduced.

"Afraid so." the young woman confirmed. "And we'll have to take our ship since we may end up needing the firepower. Something foul is afoot on another world."

"Work never ends, I get it." Samus said, unfazed. "I just hope you remember our little agreement."

"The dimensional drive we installed in your ship should let you head back on your own if you need to." the armored boy added. "Adam already has all the data he needs to operate it. Again I'm terribly sorry."

"Won't I have to worry about ending up another hundred years off target or something?" Samus pointed out. "You know, the whole relativity bullshit?"

"No." the woman clarified. "This model has a compensation system that should sync the entry and exit points."

"Just where did you get something like that?" Samus asked, a little surprised.

"There are other universe jumpers out there who faced the same predicament with relativity." the woman said. "We also have access to a very thorough database."

"Maybe we should introduce you to the Librarian one of these days." the boy added. "You're still looking for any surviving Chozo, right?"

"If you know someone who has relevant information, you could have mentioned it sooner." the Huntress retorted, a little annoyed.

"I know." the boy apologetically admitted. "I can't pause time or be in more than one place at once. I keep spreading myself too thin and a lot of things end up falling by the wayside."

"You're even worse than X." Samus remarked, rolling her eyes underneath the helmet. "At least he can listen to reason… eventually."

"I know." the boy said. "I'm working on it."

"Girl, a minute." Samus said rather curtly before beckoning the young woman to follow and leading her inside the ship.

"What?" she asked as soon as the boarding hatch closed itself behind them.

"It's really none of my business." Samus said. "But you're decent enough people and I guess I owe you for what you did for me."

The young woman stayed silent.

"If you keep enabling his bad habits like this, you're gonna regret it sooner or later." Samus continued. "That kid has a serious martyr complex and you're not doing him or yourself any favors by letting it continue."

"I know." she said, looking downcast. "I've been making some progress, but I need more time."

"If it's leverage you need, why not just tell him already?" Samus pointedly asked.

"Is it that obvious?" she retorted without skipping a beat.

"Honestly, I think he's the only one who hasn't seen it yet." Samus scoffed.

"I won't tell him yet, because the way he is now, it would only make his anxiety worse." the young woman said, shaking her head. "He'd feel the need to prove his worth or some nonsense like that. But I have other plans."

"Like what?"

"Getting him to make these rest stops here and ditch the suit for a while has already been a victory." the young woman said, looking slightly more upbeat. I just need to keep him safe while he grows stronger… and keep trying to talk sense into him. One day, once he's become what I know he can, I'll tell him."

"Well, if you need to get him some forced rest, give me a call." Samus said half-jokingly. "I know a few tricks that should knock him out for a week or two."

"I'll keep that in mind." the young woman said. "And thanks for the concern. See you when we get back."

Outside the ship, someone else arrived.

"There you are." Cial said, looking rather annoyed.

"We meet again." the boy remarked, masking his tone through the voice modulator.

"I do seem to recall being promised some answers." Cial added, narrowing her eyes at his inscrutable black visor.

"I always keep my promises, to the best of my ability." he said evenly. "But I will need to ask you to be patient."

"Why all the theatrics anyway?"

"If you mean this armored shell, it keeps me from being overwhelmed by everything around me."

He then sighed and turned his gaze skyward.

"We can't delay any longer. We can't leave this situation unattended."

"I guess there's no talking you out of it." Samus said, emerging from the ship. "Do what you have to do. This case is in good hands now that I'm here."

"What are you doing here anyway?" she added, a little surprised to see Cial so far outside by herself.

"I was hoping to discuss some details in the evidence we've uncovered." Cial explained, before glancing at the others. "I did not expect to find these two here as well, but all the better."

"I gave you my word, did I not?" the boy said, a hint of annoyance seeping through the voice modulator.

"I'll hold him to that, don't worry. " the young woman said with a warm smile.

"We'll be back as soon as we can." the boy said. "Someone else is coming to lend a hand. He'll drop by to introduce himself soon."

"We'll talk when we get back." the young woman said, waving at Cial. "Give X and the others our regards."

With that, the strange pair disappeared in a flash of light.

"I will hold both of you to that…" Cial muttered to herself with a scowl.

* * *

That evening, at Ciel's house…

"At this point, I don't think we can just keep going into random outposts until we find more clues." X finally concluded. "We should focus on the ones that had emergency pods."

"You mean like that capsule you mentioned?" Samus asked.

"Something like that." Zero elaborated. "After the Eurasia crash, the Hunters set up a bunch of reinforced outposts where they could shelter civilians. Some of them also had special pods for emergency repairs that could seal up from the inside if the outposts came under attack."

"Alia knew about them and if she needed a safe place to continue her research then she would have gone there sooner or later." X added.

"In the meantime, there's still the Megalopolis angle." Axl said. "Actually, since Samus here actually knew the old city..."

"I got to see the old place a few times back in the day." Samus confirmed with a nod. "After that asshole Bass trashed the lab for the second time, Thomas overhauled the whole place and set up a reinforced underground shelter. I helped with some of the plans, actually."

"Why didn't you mention that sooner?" Zero asked.

"Because I don't know how deep the old city is buried." Samus explained. "A lot can change in two or three hundred years and I don't want to get ahead of myself. Besides, I helped with the plans but didn't keep any copies."

"In the meantime, I think we're gonna need some heavy duty digging equipment if we want to get into the old city." Axl reasoned. "Reinforced or not, trying to dig up your old man's labs with explosives would be a very bad idea."

"So you've been thinking the same thing then." X realized.

"So have I." Samus said. "If we can open even a small breach into the underground levels, I should at least be able to scout ahead. I can't take anyone else with me though, and we may have to clear an exit path."

"I'm sure Cerveau can help us come up with something." Ciel reasoned. "I'll get in touch with Anya too."

"But first there's another place I think we should check." X said.

"You mean this… cradle of nightmares?" Cial asked. "Do you know what that man was talking about?"

X nodded.

"I haven't been there in a long time, but it may help us figure out what Alia was doing… or find some clue that we can use to locate the Mother Elf."

"This other place you want to check…" Samus said, leaning over the table where the map was laid out. "Where is it?"

"Much of the world has changed, but I couldn't forget that place even if I tried." X said, frowning at the unpleasant memories. "Actually, it's not that far from here..."

"The cradle of nightmares..." Zero muttered. "Of course…"

"I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but it's our best bet right now." X said.

"Everyone should get some rest then." Zero said. "We'll head out in the morning."

* * *

The next day, a few kilometers from the settlement, in a place not far from the old Eurasia crash site...

"So this is the place?" Ciel asked, a little surprised.

"Yeah…" Zero said with a nod. "No doubt about it."

"This region has changed a lot since those days, but yeah… there's no mistaking it." X said, surveying the verdant expanse.

All around them, a vibrant forest had spread its roots over the decades, with tall trees native to the region blanketing out most of the sun. The soft earth was almost completely covered with grass, shrubs and moss and the beams of light that managed to make it through the canopies showed birds and other small animals going about their business amidst the treeline. Having been left alone by the rest of the world for so long, the fauna had lost its natural fear of people and completely ignored the group.

"We knew that the portion of Eurasia that housed the environmental control systems had crashed in this area." Cial mused. "Still, to think that something like this was buried practically underneath our noses…"

The Guardians had elected to establish a perimeter, ensuring that they would not be interrupted. However, while thankful for their efforts, X still felt rather uncomfortable to be retreading that particular ground. Eventually, they came across a large clearing where the sky was still exposed and only moss and low hanging vines grew. The reason soon became apparent.

Some of the twisted, blackened metal was still clearly visible even through the centuries of overgrowth, but the area was barely recognizable. Whether due to geological upheavals or someone's intentional intervention, there was also a massive rock outcropping jutting out of the ground, blocking X's intended path.

"Why did you insist on coming here personally anyway?" Zero asked, glancing at Cial.

"There are things I simply need to see." the former Head Administrator said with a rather somber expression.

"Why's that?" X asked.

"So that I may understand what drives bright minds to such heights of foolishness." Cial said before letting out a sigh. "And discern the means by which to break these pointless cycles."

Feeling X's quizzical look, she elaborated.

"You are not the only one growing tired of these successive phases of growth and dramatic destruction. I for one refuse to accept them or the notion of them being inevitable."

There was a rare intensity in her gaze that Ciel quickly picked up on.

"_I guess what happened back then hit both of us hard, even if you were better at holding it in."_

"I refuse to even entertain the notion that we are all just passive pawns on some ridiculous game of destiny." Cial said, clenching her fists. "I will not simply sit around until the next disaster strikes, but rather take preventive action."

She stepped forward, glaring at the rock formation as if trying to destroy it through sheer force of will.

"_If I can gain some of the understanding that eludes me, then perhaps this unease will finally __abate__."_

An unbidden memory came to her mind and with it a pang of sorrow.

"_Foolish boy… What were you thinking?"_

Taking point, X stepped closer to the rock outcropping, which was jutting out of the ground almost like a spear thrust into the earth by a colossal hand. By all appearances, this had not been a recent occurrence, as said rock formation, seemingly a mixture of granite and chunks of other minerals, was already dotted by moss and worn by the elements. From some of the buried library's records, X had discovered that the region had suffered from a bout of geological instability in the years following the space colony's crash and the Nightmare incident. He couldn't help wondering whether he had set out on a fool's errand, but still felt the need to follow this lead. Either way, a more pressing matter demanded his attention.

Samus backed away and as the sensors built into her armor came to life, she started scanning the rock formation from top to bottom, until she eventually found something and grinned underneath the helmet.

"That's… definitely thick." X muttered to himself as he examined the momentous obstacle, pacing back and forth while feeling the harsh rocky surface with his outstretched hand. His mind began to race as he searched his memory for the most suitable option out of his old arsenal, even though it might take some time to recreate those weapons from memory.

"_I could try to recreate the Tornado Fang, but __will it be enough__ to punch through this? __Or maybe the Spin Wheel? No, not focused enough… Magnet Mine? No… __I need something bigger.__"_

Not far behind X, Axl simply stared at the rock formation, also trying to find a weak spot.

Meanwhile, Zero paced around, keeping an eye out for potential threats, until he realized something.

"Has anyone seen Samus?" he asked, suddenly noticing her conspicuous absence.

As if on cue, her voice boomed across the silent woodlands.

"GETTER SHINE!"

"The f-" Zero muttered, looking in the direction the shout had come from, only to see Samus in the distance, sprinting towards them at such a ridiculous speed as to kick up a plume of earth and bits of vegetation in her wake.

With what could only be described as a seizure inducing glow, rapidly flashing between purplish and pinkish shades and crackling with energy, Samus boomed past Ciel and Zero, leaving visible after-images, before reaching the top of a ramp formed by a particularly large chunk of bent metal. She then abruptly stopped, stomped one of her armored feet down and shot forward in a shoulder tackle stance like a cannonball, plowing through a weaker portion of the rock formation and exposing what looked like an ancient elevator shaft in a caved in concrete structure. Still going, she disappeared into the opening.

"Now that's one hell of a Shine Spark…" Axl muttered, his sullen mood momentarily forgotten.

X simply stood there and blinked, staring wide-eyed.

He had seen her strong personality and glimpses of her softer side and sense of humor, but an outright goof like that brought a smile to his face. While she and Zero seemed to still be getting used to each other's presence, it was clear to X that the two were not so different where it counted.

A moment later, Samus emerged from the cavernous crevice, wiping some rock dust and dirt off her armored shoulder as she emerged from the freshly blasted opening.

"Hey!" Axl called out. "Does that thing come with a Getter Beam too?"

She simply scoffed in response and opened her visor to let in some fresh air. There was a rather mischievous glimmer in her eyes, as if enjoying the reactions of the others. As for Ciel and Cial, they exchanged silent glances.

"_She's so cool…" _Ciel thought, a little giddy at the display.

"_That was a little excessive…" _Cial thought, somewhat more sober. _"But effective."_

"So…" Zero said, just as surprised by the sudden goof but with a more subdued reaction.

Samus just shrugged.

"Might as well have some fun while I'm at it." she said, sounding just a little smug.

Zero had noticed a few things since their first meeting. Initially, Samus had definitely seemed tense and somewhat frustrated, but the change of airs had been gradually improving her mood. The prospect of being reunited with Rock and Roll, both of which she was obviously fond of, also seemed to be giving her a renewed energy.

"If that helps you do your thing, more power to you." Zero retorted with a shrug of his own, trying to keep a straight face.

He paused for just a moment and then turned back to face her with a smirk.

"Getter, huh?"

"I guess their tastes rubbed off on me." Samus said before letting out a laugh.

"Wait…" X realized. "Their tastes? You mean…?"

"Exactly what you're thinking." Samus fondly reminisced. "Your brothers got me hooked on the stuff. Roll was the quiet one of the bunch, but even she loved it."

Underneath the closed helmet, she chuckled.

"Robot kids getting all fired up over giant robot shows. It was adorably silly."

"Is that so?" Zero answered, an amused grin creeping over his face. "Well… In that case, we've got a few things to show you when we get back."

Despite everything he had been through, Axl was still able to smile at the sight of the imposing huntress engaging in the kind of tomfoolery that would have earned him a scolding from his more experienced colleagues back in the day.

"_I guess I'll have to keep an eye on you, lady."_

Then another thought crossed his mind.

"_Come to think of it, suit aside, she almost looks __and sounds__ like a __female__ Zero…" _

Catching himself, he then blinked a couple of times, looking like he was about to gag.

"_Gah, what the hell am I thinking?!"_

"Axl." X said, mercifully derailing that train of thought.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going on ahead. Can you keep an eye on things out here?"

"Not alone you're not." Samus intervened.

"Ditto." Zero added. "Remember what happened last time you went in there? That deathtrap would put those old game shows to shame."

"The place is probably a wreck after all these years." X pointed out before the hint of a grin crept upon his face. "Still, if I do run into any surprises... I'd rather not have to hide myself while repairing myself."

"Smartass." Zero retorted. "You know my vocabulator was glitching out."

"Huh?" Ciel interjected.

"Old story." Zero grumbled. "Let's just go."

"Wait…" Cial intervened.

"I know you're curious about this place." X said. "We'll clear it out first and let you know if it's safe.

Cial sighed and nodded.

"Do watch yourself in there."

* * *

From atop the rock formation, out of sight, the hooded figure in white watched.

"Why am I even here?" he muttered.

"You know why." another figure clad in metallic red armor answered with a male voice, standing nearby.

"A lot changed while we were out of commission." the figure in red added, tightening the yellow scarf around his face again. "For better and for worse. We need your help to get our bearings."

"I'm not supposed to be here." the hooded figure said, taking a ragged, anxious breath before prying his gaze away from the twins. "I... don't belong here."

His gloved hands shook nervously for a moment before he steadied himself.

"Oh pull yourself together." a harsher male voice grumbled as its owner, wrapped in a heavy, ragged brown cloak, fixated his dark purple eyes on Samus. "We've got bigger things to worry about."

"Meaning?" the hooded figure asked.

"I never expected to see her again." the figure in red said. "It's good to know she's still kicking, but it's better that she doesn't know we're here."

"Then keep your voices down." the cloaked figure hissed in annoyance.

"Why are you so worried about her?" the hooded figure asked.

"Look, I've got my reasons not to want to see her." the figure in red said. "More to the point, she's got plenty of tricks up her sleeve. If we want to do this right, we'll have to keep a low profile."

"If you two are done with your little heart to heart, maybe we can actually get shit done?" the cloaked figure grumbled.

"If you've got a plan, then I'm all ears." the hooded figure said, sounding a little annoyed. "So far all I've heard you do is complain and curse."

"Kid…" the cloaked figure grumbled. "Don't push it. This whole plan started long before you were born. You were never a factor in it."

"There he goes again…" the figure in red muttered to himself, seemingly already used to such ranting.

"I'm not done until the old bastard's defeat is complete and absolute." the cloaked figure growled, clenching a fist covered in black armor. "Until everything he's ever accomplished is torn down."

"And how exactly is stalking them going to help?" the hooded figure retorted.

"Now you listen here-" the cloaked figure grumbled before abruptly crouching and leaning against the rock. The other two were quick to do the same as they spotted the figure clad in green and white armor flying overhead.

"_Hmm…__"_ Harpuia thought. _"I could have sworn there was something down there."_

He eyed the rock outcropping intently for a few moments and then turned around and continued on his patrol.

"_Must have been the wind."_

* * *

Samus and the two Hunters proceeded into the opening and steadily climbed down the ample shaft. As soon as they reached the pitch-black bottom, Samus took point, carefully scanning their surroundings with her suit's sensors. X and Zero paused for a moment, waiting for their eyes to adjust, then followed her, ready for anything.


	26. The Cradle of Nightmares

Chapter 26 – The Cradle of Nightmares

Unsurprisingly, after over a century of neglect and the damage previously sustained during the Nightmare Incident and the Dark Elf outbreak, Gate's old laboratory was mostly ruins.

The descent through the initial opening had taken the better part of ten minutes as Samus had insisted on scanning ahead for traps or hazards. As the trio carefully made their way through the pitch-black hallways, sidestepping piles of debris and squeezing through partially obstructed hallways, Zero's built-in communicator reacted.

"How are things looking down there?" Ciel asked through her handheld radio.

"Messy." Zero said, trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. "You're not coming down here without at least a flashlight."

The place had definitely seen better days and if not for the quest at hand, neither X or Zero would have willingly set foot in it. Both its condition and the memories associated with it were leaving them a bit on edge.

"So, why here anyway?" Samus asked, while pausing for a moment to scan the surrounding area with her suit's x-ray scope.

"Because I accidentally left some pieces of my original body in Eurasia when I tried to ram it with that shuttle." Zero said. "You could say Gate got a bit obsessed with them."

Her scan complete, she navigated the path ahead, with the others following closely.

"So this Nightmare Virus was actually a derivative of the original Maverick Virus…" Samus realized. "But how were you still carrying that around without noticing?"

"I wasn't." Zero clarified. "Not for a long time. But after the virus left me and moved on to Sigma, the bastard did some experimenting of his own. The Zero Virus was one of the results."

"Since Zero was the intended original host, that thing damaged and weakened most Reploids, but powered him up instead." X added.

"Not that I wanted anything to do with it, mind you." Zero said with obvious distaste. "In the end it was just another ploy to try to turn me back to my so-called purpose."

"So… how did it end up Gate's hands?" Samus asked.

"That thing wouldn't take no for an answer." Zero grumbled. "Kept following me around. Some of that crap must have piggybacked on me all the way to Eurasia and back."

More deserted hallways followed. The trip was proving to be uneventful so far, but the silence did not help their unease. Again Samus paused and scanned their surroundings.

"Again?" Zero asked.

"It pays to be properly paranoid at a place like this." Samus retorted. "You wouldn't believe how many hidden passageways and access ports I found hidden in places that were already out of the way."

Zero paused for a moment, scratching his chin.

"I should have guessed Gate would have some kind of backup for his data. But a sub-level? On a place that already has all these basement floors?"

"Every scientist worth their salt has some kind of sub-level or vault for emergencies." Ciel chimed in through the radio.

"Even you?" Zero wondered.

"Maybe…" she said, playing coy.

Zero switched to direct transmission instead of vocal and grinned, despite the fact that she could not see his face.

"And what exactly would you be hiding there?" he teased. "Maybe some books you don't want other people finding out about?"

"W-What…" Ciel stammered, absolutely mortified, nearly dropping her handheld radio. "You…"

"I don't know why you're so embarrassed about them." Zero said, still using direct transmission. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Wait what?"

"When Axl gets out of his funk, you should ask him about his collection." Zero added with an amused smirk.

A few steps away, X silently smiled in amusement at the exchange, having picked it up on his own sensors despite his old friend's efforts.

"_You're definitely a lot more __open about your feelings__ these days. I'm glad I stayed around long enough to see you on the mend like this."_

Distracted by his thoughts, X nearly tripped on a small pile of debris right in front of him. Quickly correcting his course, he hopped over it and dashed forward to catch up with Samus.

Moments later, as Zero caught up, X glanced at him and grinned.

"What?" Zero asked.

"You two were on an open signal." X answered.

* * *

Outside, somewhere in the overgrown wilderness…

"So…" Milan said, wading through tall shrubs.

"What?" Colbor asked, not far from him.

"Spill it." Faucon added, taking point.

"What?" Colbor repeated.

"The training, duh." Faucon said, stopping in his tracks and turning to the others. "What, did you think we wanted to know about your after-class activities?"

"I must confess I'm a little curious about both." Milan added with a smirk.

"You guys are such assholes sometimes…" Colbor grumbled, not caring for the insinuation.

"C'mon!" Faucon said. "You can't blame us for being curious."

"Yeah." Milan added. "I don't know what she did, but you're looking much better since you started her training regimen."

"I suppose I am." Colbor conceded. "Still a work in progress, mind you, but it's all about getting my confidence back."

"But how did she do it?" Milan asked, genuinely curious.

"You'll see." Colbor said with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Faucon asked.

"You do remember those discussions about having the Guardians train the rest of our forces, right?" Colbor elaborated, before the hint of a grin crept upon his face.

"Yeah…" Milan hesitantly answered.

Colbor's grin widened.

"You guys are going to be part of the first test group. I made sure of that."

"Can we at least get a hint?" Milan asked.

Colbor scratched his chin.

"Do you guys remember that game show that ran on for something like two hundred years? The one with the ridiculous obstacle courses?"

"Wait…" Milan muttered. "Takeshi's Castle? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough." Colbor said, his grin at this point becoming a little unsettling.

"Anyway…" Faucon chimed in, trying to change the subject. "What are those four like when the rest of us aren't looking?"

"If you're expecting some weird stuff like Leviathan sleeping in a fish tank or Fefnir keeping his room stuffed with bombs and guns, you're in for a disappointment." Colbor said rather flatly. "I haven't seen that much of the place they were shacking in, but it looked pretty plain."

"But what about that house Ciel and the others offered them?" Milan asked.

"They're still getting cold feet about moving in." Colbor said with a shrug. "Guess they still feel guilty about that crap back then. But they'll come around sooner or later."

"I'm surprised." Milan said. "I thought you hated them, but you almost sound like you're looking forward to having them around."

Colbor sighed deeply.

"For a long time, I guess I did. But I suppose people change."

"_And we were all put in our place by a little girl…"_ he silently winced, feeling a little ashamed of himself. _"I thought we adults were supposed to be __the ones__ setting an example."_

"If you four have enough energy to chatter, that means you are not paying attention." a familiar voice interrupted.

The three abruptly stiffened as Phantom emerged from the foliage, glaring at them.

"Sloppy." the Guardian added, narrowing his eyes. "I counted five different ways an enemy could have snuck past you or caught you off guard. Is this your idea of keeping watch for the others?"

"Well, it's not like most people have your ninja bullshit." Faucon retorted.

"But he does have a point." Milan grudgingly conceded. "We need to step up our game."

* * *

Underground…

The extended trek through that place was leaving Zero uneasy, dredging up unpleasant old memories. In his distracted state, he tripped on an exposed piece of metal, knocking it loose and bringing down the rest of the support beam it was attached to in a cascade of concrete, dust and bits of metal.

"Zero! What happened?" Ciel gasped in alarm, having overheard the noise through the radio.

"This place is falling apart." Samus grumbled, before grabbing Zero by the arm and yanking him out from underneath the small pile of debris that had fallen over him. "Stay close to me and let my x-ray scope do its thing."

"Are you OK Zero?" Ciel asked.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" she insisted.

Having her fretting over him was nothing new, but since the scare at Ragnarok he had tried to be a little more considerate and avoid giving her more reasons to worry.

"I don't know what you did to my armor, but it's better than new." Zero said appreciatively, patting his unblemished breastplate. "Not even a scratch."

With that, he pressed on, trying to pay more attention as he wiped the dust off his shoulders.

"I had some ideas floating around for an improved bonding agent and finally got around to trying them out." Ciel said with a hint of pride.

"That should keep me from wrecking more suits and helmets for a while." Zero noted. "Especially helmets. Thanks."

"Oh, no need to thank me." Ciel said, though her tone betrayed her joy at his appreciation. "It's about time I got to do something for you."

"She's a keeper, all right." X remarked in a hushed tone, heartened and a little amused at the way the two kept looking after each other.

Zero simply smiled. He had never expected to find himself feeling such emotions again, but the sensation was definitely not unwelcome.

"It's great how much more you can get done when you learn to delegate." Ciel admitted.

"Told you so." Cial chimed in, sounding ever-so-slightly smug.

Next to them, Axl just grinned. Despite his still recent breakdown and the sorrows he carried, it made him genuinely happy to see his friends like that.

Moments later, their path came to a halt. The next hallway seemed to be almost completely obstructed with rubble and debris.

"Most of the area in front of us has collapsed." Samus informed, having finished her scanning for the time being. "We'd have to plow through a whole lot of crap to get anywhere."

"I guess there's a reason for you not to do that thing you did outside?" Zero deduced.

"The Shine Spark needs a bit of a running start to build up a charge." Samus explained. "No room for that here. I'm not about to start tossing Power Bombs around either unless we want to bring the place down on our heads."

"Fair enough." Zero conceded. "But where do we go from here then?"

Samus pointed at a blocked doorway, where a large piece of what looked like a steel beam had broken off and jammed itself in.

X approached it and gave it a tentative tug.

"Doable, but it'll take a while."

"Good thing I brought this along then." Zero said, reaching for his belt and detaching his Z-Saber from it.

Zero ignited the blade and after taking a good look at the obstacle set about cutting it into smaller, more manageable pieces. X began to haul the pieces away, piling them against a wall where nobody would trip on them, while Samus continued to scan their surroundings.

"You two have been here before." she remarked while her suit's onboard computer mapped out the area. "Any idea where this sub-level entrance would be?"

"It's been a long time." X said. "Since the place is half collapsed and I tried my best to forget about it, your scanner would be more reliable than my memory."

"Not to mention the Nightmare Virus warped reality in the area." Zero added, still a bit baffled at the ability of concentrated data to warp both the Cyberworld and the real world simultaneously.

"Come to think of it, why do Mavericks have this habit of remodeling their bases of operations into elaborate deathtraps?" Cial wondered, her voice coming in through the radio.

"I always thought it was part of their insanity." X reasoned. "It manifests in more forms than just irrational violence."

"I don't get it." Samus remarked. "Are those Mavericks of yours terrorists, crazy or both?"

"It's not that simple." X clarified. "Some were corrupted by a virus or the Dark Elf. Others chose to act that way."

"Take Craft." Zero added. "He looked sane enough at first sight, but he played along with Weil's plan until he had the chance to take control of Ragnarok and destroy Neo Arcadia."

"Or the Guardians." X pointed out. "They thought they were doing the right thing for humanity's sake even if their actions were more than a little questionable."

"I knew there was something off about those four." Samus noted. "Like they had a weight on their backs. So why didn't you scrap them along with the rest?"

"Because we believe in second chances." X explained. "Or at least I do... and I try to convince the others to believe as well. I don't want to scrap anyone unless they prove to be irredeemable."

"Like that bastard copy." Zero added. "Completely off his rocker."

"The Guardians were never Mavericks." X reasoned. "Just people who made very bad choices. Actual Mavericks never stop to consider their actions. They just keep forcing conflict and refuse to stand down. They will force you to scrap them."

"Of course some people used the label as a handy excuse to clamp down on Reploids." Zero noted with disgust.

"I suppose some things never change." Samus muttered, rolling her eyes under the helmet. "No matter the world."

"That said, Zero has raised a very important point before." X chimed in.

"Reploid or human, it doesn't make a difference." Zero said with a scowl. "A Maverick is a Maverick. Look at that bastard Weil."

"That said… there's still much I don't understand." X added with some discomfort. "About the how and why of it. About… how some just go off the deep end even when they think they're doing the right thing."

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Zero deduced.

"I suppose at least that copy started out with good intentions." X conceded. "I still hate what he became. And that he lost it because he was trying to be me."

"You've always had a habit of overthinking things." Zero said, grabbing his old friend's shoulder. "But I'll tell you the same thing I told you all those years ago. They have no power to change who you are."

X nodded and mustered a smile, shoving those thoughts aside.

"I know."

Pleased that his words were getting through, Zero let go.

"Good."

"_This guy…" _Samus thought with a mixture of awe and pity. _"Rock didn't overthink things so much, but they're definitely brothers. Hearts too big for their own good."_

"Hold up." she said, raising her armored hand.

"More crap in the way?" Zero asked, starting to get a little frustrated at all the blockages and at how the place seemed to drag on forever.

Letting out a sigh, Samus stopped in her tracks and scanned the passageway ahead.

"Yeah, more crap on the way. Tons of it."

After a moment, she pointed in the direction of another chamber to the side.

"It looks like there's another elevator shaft not far from here… but without power we'll have to get rough with it."

"How deep?" X asked.

"A few floors." Samus said, focusing her suit's x-ray scope on an area directly underneath them. "And at the bottom there's some kind of reinforced chamber with lead lining. You know what that means."

"That somebody probably didn't want others snooping around." Zero surmised.

"Trying to restore power to that is a waste of time." Samus said, seeing through her scope that the building's power generators were in a completely different section of the building that had completely collapsed. "Let's just pry it open and slide down."

"Just how well does that thing protect you from falls?" Zero asked.

"Well enough." the Huntress retorted. "In fact, I can pretty much give gravity the finger on demand."

"Handy." X noted. "Especially since we'll have to climb back up when we're done."

"What about those recall units of yours?" Samus pointed out.

"What, and leave you to to get back out by yourself?" X protested.

Samus let out a soft chuckle.

"Is this guy for real?"

"Pretty much." Zero said, sharing her amusement. "And not just because you're a lady."

Alerted by something, X abruptly stopped on his tracks for a moment, glancing around.

"Something wrong?" Zero asked.

"I don't know…" X said. "I… sense something..."

* * *

A few floors above…

"It looks like they have things well in hand here." the hooded figure remarked, glancing around, seemingly unaffected by the lack of light.

"Yeah…" the man in the red suit of armor said with a nod, before adjusting the prominent aviator shades on his face, which looked rather out of place considering how dark their surroundings were.

"So what now?" the hooded figure asked. "They're making good progress without us. We should move on to the next place."

"You've got a point." the man in red said. "The longer we stick around, the more likely somebody will spot us. Especially since her scope can see through solid objects."

"That's not the only thing I'm worried about." the hooded figure said. "Or have you forgotten?"

The man in red winced and loudly snapped his fingers.

"Crap…"

"Why are you so bent on avoiding the Huntress anyway?" the hooded figure asked.

"Why are you so bent on avoiding the girls?" the man in red retorted without skipping a beat before once again tightening his scarf around his face.

"Touche." the hooded figure conceded.

"Whatever." the cloaked figure grumbled from a distance, picking up the pace. "There's something I've got to get out of the way. You two can just wait outside."

"Hey, wait up!" the hooded figure protested, rushing after him.

"I didn't ask you two to come down here." the cloaked figure retorted.

"I insist." the man in red remarked, quickly catching up.

The cloaked figure scoffed, rushing ahead and leaving the other two behind.

"This was not part of the plan…" the hooded figure nervously hissed.

"Forget about it." the man in red said, shaking his head. "You should know better than trying to talk sense into him by now. Let's just wait upstairs."

"You're a little too calm about this." the hooded figure remarked. "What if…"

"Don't worry kid. I know exactly what he's doing. He's not as harebrained as he looks."

"I'm beginning to wonder why I let you two rope me into this…" the hooded figure grumbled.

* * *

Moments later…

The shaft in question was built into a wall, much like a typical cabin elevator, with the main difference being that it was concealed by the architecture and reinforced like a bank vault door. While X and Samus busied themselves examining the access hatch and prying it open, Zero, felt that something was amiss.

He found himself wandering into an adjacent room, in somewhat better condition than most they had crossed on their way. In ages past, it seemed to have been a smaller experiment room, containing stereotypical laboratory gear.

"_Am I going paranoid… or is there someone else here?"_

He could hear nothing suspicious or see anyone else, but in the darkness even his superhuman sight could miss something.

"_Focus…"_

On a small table near a corner of the room, he spotted a workstation that might even be in working condition. Before he could approach it though, something else distracted him.

Through the corner of his eye, Zero caught a faint bluish light. Looking in its direction, he briefly spotted the telltale glow of a holographic emitter in an adjacent chamber.

"Hmm?"

With X and Samus still engrossed in their task, oblivious to his absence, Zero headed in the direction of the glow. What he saw left him clenching his fists.

"You…" he growled at the sight of another of Dr. Wily's holograms, staring.

The holographic image of his deranged creator simply laughed and faded out. Then, further ahead, another emitter lit up, showing the same face he had grown to hate even more than Sigma.

"More of your stupid games, old man?" he growled, reaching for his Z-Saber and rushing forward.

Completely focused on the object of his ire, he failed to notice the figure in black, silently dashing in his direction wrapped in a ragged cloak.

With a punch to the side of his face, Zero found himself tumbling on the floor before quickly straightening himself.

"The hell?!" he hissed, quickly igniting his Z-Saber.

He heard the rustling of the cloak coming from behind him and quickly spun around, swinging the blade horizontally. His assailant, however, seemed to have anticipated that, and all Zero accomplished was cutting off a small portion of the cloak.

"Quit screwing around, whoever you are!" Zero growled, unimpressed by the display.

In lieu of response, the cloaked figure dashed around again, reappearing behind Zero… and abruptly yanking his ponytail.

"Son of a…!" Zero hissed, spinning around and swinging his clenched left fist, striking only air.

His assailant dashed again, this time sweeping horizontally in front of Zero, and raised his right hand. Zero caught the telltale hum of a Buster being activated and raised his Saber just in time to parry a volley of small black energy projectiles, deflecting them into the walls and the ancient computer consoles mounted on them.

To his surprise, instead of breaking stride, the figure dashed straight at him.

Zero felt a hand gripping his neck and lifting him off the floor. Underneath the cloak, he saw a pair of glowing crimson eyes, staring intently at him. It was too dark to see much more, but something about his assailant felt strangely familiar.

"The hell do you want?" Zero growled in defiance, still clutching his Saber and ready to hack away at his assailant's arm depending on the answer.

"Humph." the figure retorted before unceremoniously tossing him back.

To Zero's confusion, the figure then turned around to leave, but before exiting the chamber he glanced over his shoulder and let out a parting shot.

"Not bad. But you really should do something about that stupid hair."

"_What…?"_

And with that, his assailant vanished into the shadows, leaving Zero rather perplexed. Instead of blindly rushing in search of the elusive figure, however, he decided to rejoin the others.

"_Asshole__ was toying with me." _he fumed. _"But who was that?"_

* * *

Still oblivious to Zero's situation, X and Samus continued their work. The hatch had resisted valiantly despite its age, however its makers had not accounted for the weaponry of a legendary Maverick Hunter and the heiress of the Chozo.

Eventually giving up on a subtle approach, Samus planted several small adhesive circular bombs around the frame, each of them with a purple blinking light, then both of them backed away. With a wireless command from her suit, she detonated them simultaneously, weakening the metal, then she raised her arm cannon and froze the metal with an icy energy blast from it.

"Any more surprises I should know about?" X asked.

"Watch this." she answered, clearly enjoying herself.

With that, she jumped into the air and curled into a ball with superhuman agility. As she did so, the surface of the suit was energized again, making her resemble some sort of unhinged glowing wrecking ball.

With a rather absurd degree of control, she rammed into the hatch, and the battered metal finally gave way, breaking off its hinges. As she made a surprisingly graceful landing, X set about prying the loosened metal pieces away, revealing a hole large enough for them to descend without issues.

"What did I miss?" Zero chimed in, stepping back in the chamber.

"We're making progress." Samus announced, moving in to help X. "But where were you?"

"I guess I got a little sidetracked." Zero said, still rather perplexed by the strange encounter.

Samus took the lead and slid down the shaft, with the palm of her gauntlet pressed against the vertical surface so as to make a more controlled descent. X and Zero were quick to follow, doing much of the same. They'd had more than their share of long drops abruptly ending in spike pits and did not care to repeat the experience.

After a few long moments, the trio found themselves standing before a large reinforced door. The small chamber they had landed in looked like a small storeroom, but whatever items it once contained had been long reduced to slag and the crates and shelves were in pieces.

"Mad scientists really love their doors and locks." Zero said, rolling his eyes.

"This one is going to take a bit more force than the hatch." Samus said, taking a good look at it.

"Or a bigger dose of explosives…" X said with a wince. "At the risk of bringing the place down on us."

"Talk to me." Ciel chimed in through the radio. "You've run into another obstacle?"

"A big metal door." Zero said. "I don't think we've got anything strong enough here to cut through it."

"Actually, you do." Ciel answered, sounding rather pleased with herself.

Something clicked in Zero's mind and he reached for his Z-Saber once again.

"You mean…"

"Yes, I squeezed in some time to make those modifications we talked about while I was working on your suit." the petite scientist explained. "I guess I forgot to mention it since I went right to sleep after finishing."

"Well then…" Zero said with a grin, much like that of a child unwrapping a new toy. "Don't mind if I do."

He located the switch on the metallic cylinder and found a new tiny button that he did not recognize. As soon as he pressed it, the blade ignited, but instead of the usual green blade it emitted a bluish, tighter one.

"That thing is strong enough to melt through a slab of Titanium X." Ciel informed through the radio. "You can widen the beam if you need, but I thought it was safer to have a tight one for the default setting."

Zero nodded, though she couldn't see him, and thrust the blade into the frame. After some brief resistance, it pierced through, heating the surrounding metal until it started glowing with an angry shade of orange.

"Guess she really is a genius." Samus remarked.

"You shouldn't underestimate her just because she's in her teens." Zero advised, lowering his voice as he set about cutting out a section of the door. "Some of the things I've seen her do..."

"I guess I shouldn't be so surprised." Samus conceded. "I did start my training when I was younger than her."

"You what?" X muttered, aghast at the notion.

The Huntress nodded, her tone a little more somber.

"After my birth family was wiped out along with the rest of my colony, the Chozo wanted to make sure I'd be able survive out there on my own. But this isn't the place to be talking about that."

* * *

Outside, a good distance from the lab entrance…

"Well?" the man in red asked, standing there with crossed arms.

"He's clean." the cloaked figure said.

"Told you so." the man in red answered, sounding a little smug.

"Had to see it for myself." the cloaked figure grumbled.

"Really?" the hooded figure remarked. "All that just to check for traces?"

"I don't have to explain anything to you kid." the cloaked figure grumbled. "Why are you still here anyway?"

"You may be a bit of an asshole but I need to see this through to the end, just like you." the hooded figure retorted. "Besides, didn't you drag me out here to be your guide?"

This seemed to amuse the cloaked figure.

"I guess maybe you do have some steel after all."

"That's enough, both of you." the man in red said. "We've got a long way to go."

With that, the figure in red and his cloaked companion started heading out.

"Coming?" the figure in red asked.

"You two go on ahead…" the hooded figure said, once again glancing in the direction of the spot where the twins where still waiting. "I need a minute to center myself."

Finally left alone for a moment, the hooded figure sighed and stood there for a drawn out moment. Eventually, he sighed again, then finally pried his gaze away.

"I guess I'll see you around."

* * *

Meanwhile, the twins were becoming somewhat restless.

"It's been two hours." Ciel noted, checking her watch. "Maybe we should-"

"No." Axl said, shaking his head with an unusually serious expression.

"Why not?" Cial asked.

"Because this isn't like that other time with the buried library." Axl elaborated. "This is Gate's lab."

"And?" Cial insisted.

Axl scowled.

"I've never been there myself, but I heard the stories… and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to you two on my watch."

It was definitely baffling for the twins to see Axl so serious after witnessing his prior antics firsthand. This was something they would need time to get used to and, frankly speaking, a source of concern.

"Axl…" Ciel said. "What exactly happened to you?"

"You don't wanna know." Axl retorted with a pained look.

Cial wanted to insist, even argue, but something about his expression left her at a loss for words, much like during X's emotional episode after moving into his new body. Instead, she took a deep breath.

"Listen carefully." she finally said after a moment of hesitation. "I shall say this only once. It may not be my business… and you may be frankly infuriating at times… but I can tell you are not well. I will not pry, but should you change your mind…"

"The same goes for me." Ciel added. "You know you can talk to us if you need."

"I'll remember that." Axl said with a nod. "But can we drop it for now? Please?"

* * *

A few more levels down, the trio came upon what looked like a vehicle repair bay.

"What's this doing all the way down here?" Samus wondered.

"I wouldn't be surprised if this place had some more hidden exits that I missed back then." X reasoned. "I don't even recognize the route we came in through."

Then his gaze wandered until he spotted something rather familiar. In a moment of unrestrained curiosity, he dashed towards it.

Zero's gaze followed his old friend's path and he realized the reason for the sudden excitement.

"Is that what I think it is?"

The object in question was made of metal, heavily armored, with a legged frame and an open cockpit at the top.

"A Ride Armor, yes." X said, looking a little giddy. "One of the old Hawk line if I'm not mistaken."

Through the light of the LED flashlights built onto the surface of his armor, Zero noticed that the construct's right arm was still in its socket, ending in a hand with a compact rocket launcher attached to the wrist, but the left arm and the rear thrusters were missing.

"I don't remember seeing any of these around the last time we were here." X mused, circling around to examine the construct's condition. "Then again, I wasn't exactly sightseeing."

X went silent for a moment, his excitement evident even in such dim lighting. His mind was already racing with ideas about what to do with such an unexpected find.

"I didn't expect someone like you to appreciate what's basically a walking battle tank." Samus remarked.

"Don't get the wrong idea." X said. "Ride Armors got me out of a few sticky situations back in the day, but it's not their combat specs that won me over."

"Oh?"

"It's the added mobility and speed." X elaborated. "This model line in particular could fly."

"I guess I can see where you're coming from…" Samus conceded. "After all, I was raised by space bird people."

"The earlier models had no hands, only rocket launchers." X mused, examining the arm that was still attached. "They rectified this later by adding actual hands."

He paced around the Ride Armor, inspecting its condition, and his smile widened.

"Now imagine what we could do with a hundred of these, even just a dozen. Imagine how much progress we'd make with the settlement's expansion or setting up new ones out there."

"I suppose." Zero conceded. "Not to mention the boost to the Resistance's firepower. Just don't try to talk Ciel into building a giant version."

X grinned, finding the presence of spirit to make a light-hearted retort.

"Well, seeing how I'm the reasonable one here, maybe she would listen."

"You, reasonable?" Zero scoffed. "Cool story, bro."

X smiled, but quickly focused his attention on the task at hand once again.

"We'll have to figure out how to get this out of here after we've found what we came here for."

"My suit has an auto-map function." Samus informed. "I'll just mark the room and we can come back later."

Eventually, they found another chamber where an old set of mainframes was arrayed.

"Well, I'm not a mad scientist, but these look important." Samus remarked. "But we'll have to get them running before we can get anything out of them."

"I could try to recreate one of my weapons from memory…" X pondered. "But if I get the voltage wrong I could accidentally fry them…"

"Or we could use this field generator someone left lying around." Zero pointed out, approaching the object in question. "Look, it even has a charge after all this time."

X scanned the room and soon found what looked like an access terminal with an old office chair set in front of it. Next to the keyboard, he found something he had never expected to see again.

"No doubt about it." X said with a mixture of hope and anxiety. "She was here."

Lying there was a hairpin of a familiar design. Carefully, as if afraid of breaking it, X held it up between his thumb and index finger and started getting misty-eyed.

"I remember that." Zero said with the hint of a smile. "You wanted to get her something but you had no idea what…"

"And you ended up dragging me through that huge mall for most of the day." X added, wiping his eyes. "She'll probably want this back."

Samus watched their exchange in silence, unsure what to say, and made herself busy turning the generator back on. With a low hum, the terminal screen came to life, prompting for a password.

"Considering who this stuff belonged to, I can take a few guesses about the password." X thought out loud.

With a few deft keystrokes, the password was accepted and the system unlocked.

"How did you...?" Zero asked.

"Even someone as clever as Gate had attachments once." X said. "Just like me."

The desktop was rather messy, but some files had been left in a prominent location, as if meant for him to find.

"More recordings…" he muttered. "But wait…"

As he brought up the file system and start sifting through the contents, a growing unease took root in the back of his mind.

"_Where is it…?"_

A few minutes later, he was forced to admit defeat.

"The Nightmare Virus research data isn't here."

"What?" Zero intervened.

"I guess we'll know what happened soon enough." X said, playing the first of the video files. "It looks like somebody left these here for me."

To his dismay, X found another recording of Alia, but she looked crestfallen, with her usually impeccable hair disheveled and evident signs of fatigue. What bothered him the most though was the look on her face, moist with fresh tears.

She was also not alone. A tall figure was standing strategically outside the camera's range, but the shadow it cast wast still visible.

"Pull yourself together." the familiar male voice they had heard in the previous recording said from off-screen. He sounded tense, but like he was making a deliberate effort to speak softly. "If we falter now, this will all have been for nothing."

"I know…" Alia said, before letting out a sigh. "But…"

The unseen figure stayed silent for a moment, letting her vent.

"Offering himself up as a sacrifice to clean up my mess…" Alia lamented. "This is all my fault!"

"Now, now." the male voice said, trying to be soothing but clearly uncomfortable by the display. "You know better than that. It will take more than that to get rid of him."

"But why?" Alia lamented. "Why did it have to be him?"

"You know why. It is his nature. No. Simply what he chose to be."

Alia sighed, covering her face with her hands.

"Listen to me, Alia." the male voice said, still staying strategically outside the camera's reach. "It's not like he's gone. Not for good anyway."

"And what happens if someone gets him out of there?" Alia countered, her hands shaking. "How can I possibly choose between the world and him?"

"We'll deal with that when we get there. After all, everything that is sealed will return sooner or later."

Alia said nothing.

"And do not forget." the male voice continued, stressed and fatigued, but trying to stay composed. "There are still others counting on you. Others who can still be saved if we hurry."

Alia looked like she was about to say something, but then she straightened up and started at the camera, looking absolutely mortified.

"I left that thing running!" she hissed.

"Alia, calm down."

"I guess there's no point in leaving these logs anymore…" she muttered, sinking into the chair. "But if things somehow change... If he somehow breaks free and comes looking for me... I don't want him to see me like this."

And with that, the recording abruptly ended.

"That guy again…" Zero remarked.

"He could be using some kind of modulator, but the voice still feels familiar." X said.

"It does." Zero said.

X was beginning to harbor some suspicions about the entire situation.

"You don't think…?"

The two exchanged glances for a moment.

"Who knows?" Zero pondered. "He sounded like he knew the place… and like he wanted to keep Alia out of here. But… how?"

Unable to find any answers to those questions, X opened the next recording and found it to be voice only.

"On the off chance…" the same male voice said. "That someone else stumbles across this place… Turn back. Forget you've ever been here. The secrets of the Nightmare Virus are not meant for you or anyone else."

The voice then let out a drawn out sigh.

"And if you happen to break out on your own, X…" the voice added in a considerably harsher tone, causing the Hunter in question to stiffen with a start. "I am rather cross at you right now, even if you were simply being true to form again."

With that, the second recording ended.

There was one more recording left, which presented yet another surprise.

"What's the point?" Alia muttered, sinking into the chair.

"It will give you something to do while I get things ready." the male voice answered, still off-camera. "Go on."

Alia sighed and gripped the chair's armrests.

"This is ridiculous."

The male voice sighed as well, but managed to stay calm.

"Just use your imagination. Or faith. Or whatever it takes to keep you going until this is over."

"I never thought I'd hear you of all people talking about faith." Alia noted, glancing over her shoulder. "But fine…"

With that, she cleared her throat and turned back to the camera.

"X…" she hesitantly said. "We've heard the news. About what you did. I… still don't know how we're going to get you out of there, but… I'm not leaving you like that. We'll find a way to clean up this mess."

She sighed again, struggling for words.

"My… stubborn associate has a point though. This data is too dangerous to leave lying around. So we're taking it with us. Most of the places where we could put it to use got wrecked in the chaos. I still don't know where we're headed next. We'll have to find any more surviving Hunters and go from there."

She paused again and wiped some moisture off her eyes.

"You'll probably never see this recording, but talking as if you were here and could actually hear me… it does help. I guess my colleague is right about more than I give him credit for."

She took a deep breath.

"You never gave up on the world. I'm not about to give up on you either. I guess the mission just got a bit more complicated, but I won't rest until I've corrected my mistakes. There are still some Reploids we can save from the Dark Elf's madness."

She stared at the camera with a wistful smile and slowly stood up.

"I… we'll talk later… face to face. One way or another."

And with that, the recording ended, leaving X rather distraught.

"You OK?" Zero asked, placing a hand on his old friend's shoulder.

"I really don't deserve her…" X muttered. "Even after I tried her patience so much, she still didn't give up..."

"It's not up to you to decide." Zero retorted, shaking his head. "But when we find her, you'd damn better make it up to her."

X took a few moments to calm himself down and then nodded.

"Definitely. No more excuses."

With that, he shut the terminal down, tucked away the hairpin in one of the pockets of his tunic and stood up, noticing that Samus was watching him intently.

"I had you pegged for a romantic type, but this…" she remarked.

"Learn from me then." X said, still shaken from the recordings. "If someone in your life means the world to you, tell them. Don't let the days and the years slip between your fingers."

"A bit too late for that." Samus retorted with a sigh.

"Huh?"

"Another time. But come on. Creepy basements aren't the place to be talking about old regrets."

* * *

Hours later...

As X, with the help of Zero, the Guardians and Axl, hauled the components of the Ride Armor and all the tools and spare parts they could find through the workshop's side door, the Radiant Shard stirred… and the presence inside laughed.

"What?" X asked, glancing in its direction.

"_Ah. Parallel evolution. What are the odds?"_

"_Huh?"_

His curiosity piqued, X set down the extra arm he had been carrying over his shoulder and stepped closer to the workbench where Cial had laid the artifact down for further analysis.

"_My original? He had one of those. It was magitek powered and the design was obviously different, but the general concept is the same."_

"_Oh? What was it like?"_

At this point the entity was actually sounding a little giddy as it fondly reminisced.

"_Photon weaponry. Two arm mounted machine guns and a cannon __in the torso__. __Later we did some tweaking and gave it the ability to shift into__ a flight configuration."_

"_Maybe I should write that down for later…"_ X mused.

"_And then there was the golem core."_

"_The what now?"_

"_Oh, __something __we added at one point__. I suppose you could think of it as a magitek based AI. Much more basic than mine, mind you. It couldn't __even __speak."_

"_So what could it do exactly?"_ X asked, going from intrigued to fascinated. His task momentarily forgotten, he sat on a bench, drinking in the words being spoken directly into his mind.

The presence laughed again, softly, and when it spoke again its tone was rather nostalgic.

"_It was like having a giant metal dog. I wonder what happened to it while I was gone."_

"_A dog, huh?"_ X mused. _"__Come to think of it… I wonder what happened to Rush.__"_

The presence paused for a moment and let out a sigh.

"_I realize these are not really my memories. My maker may have crafted me in his image, but I am not him. Still, I do hope things turned out all right."_

"_You mentioned that others would create such Shards at the end of their career or after completing a milestone."_

"_Yes… and my original was about to embark on a very dangerous journey alone."_

"_Alone?"_

"_He lost far too many of his companions __over the __years… and __those who remained __lacked__ the strength to accompany him."_

"_But where was he going?"_

"_Out to vanquish two ultimate Primals."_ the presence elaborated, with a mixture of anger and disdain._ "The False Mother and the Devouring Beast. False gods who tore our reality apart in the distant past and continued to manipulate living beings for their own ends."_

"_Does this have something to do with that Altima?"_

"_No. I will not utter their names here, but one was simply another beast of boundless greed, like almost any Primal." _

"_And the other?"_

"_The other… was more insidious and detestable in her own way." the presence added, contempt dripping from his every word. "Pretending to care for us like her own children while heaping lie upon lie and steering us for her own ends. She went so far as to claim that the abilities our kind possess were gifts from her."_

"_It sounds personal."_

"_It is. For all her platitudes, she only acted when it suited her. My original also saw the result of allowing her false light to spread unchecked. An entire world flooded by it, tethering on the brink of oblivion. The false light corrupted everything it touched."_

The presence paused for a moment to calm itself and then spoke again.

"_Our light comes from us. Anyone who claims to be its sole purveyor or its origin is a liar."_

"Having another of your conversations?" Cial chimed in, though she already knew the answer.

"Something like that." X said with a nod. "Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you."

"Oh?"

"Ciel mentioned that Neo Arcadia never really mass produced Ride Armors." X elaborated.

"Yes. And?"

"Considering they had the resources and probably the designs, why didn't they go down that path?"

The former Head Administrator's lips curled into the hint of a grin.

"Officially? They were deemed a waste of resources. Too inefficient."

"And unofficially?" X asked, noting her choice of words.

"A certain copy could never quite get the hang of them." Cial explained. "So in a fit of rage after crashing one too many test models, he basically scrapped all the plans for their production."

"That sounds... petty." X remarked. "Then again, he was prideful and arrogant. I guess if he couldn't handle them, nobody else was allowed to."

"That should have been one of the warning signs." Cial bitterly recalled. "But the people wanted so badly to believe that they had a worthy successor to your legacy that they overlooked issues such as that… and over time they began to grant him more and more power."

"I caught glimpses of it while I was still holding the Dark Elf's seal together." X said. "They were so desperate for a stable present that they didn't think of the future they were creating."

"You are more right than you know." Ciel chimed in, taking a break from supervising the others to join the conversation next to her sister. "That self-centered mindset that only Neo Arcadia mattered and that the outside world should be ignored? That didn't start with Weil or the copy."

Ciel let out a sigh and then continued.

"With you gone, people started forgetting your message. Mom told me a few stories from her and Grandma's time. A lot of people despaired, but others became cold and selfish. It was all downhill from there."

"People started thinking they were better than those outside the walls." Cial recalled, having heard the same stories. "Then some decided that nothing outside had any value. They scrapped the plans to restart the space program or reclaim the wilderness. After the copy took over, they only ventured outside to hunt Reploids or the Resistance or to claim resources."

"But didn't they realize that was unsustainable?" X pointed out, baffled by the notion. "Sooner or later they were going to run out of space for all those people or to grow the food they needed."

"Indeed." Cial said with a nod. "Not to mention the energy crisis that was used as a pretext for the… oppression of Reploids. I can tell you that the copy wasted much more energy than what was actually reclaimed. Especially on those ridiculous airships."

"Unbelievable…" X muttered.

"Sure, there was the superiority complex." Cial explained. "But a lot of people were afraid. The notion of moving outside the walls and safety of Neo Arcadia was considered unthinkable. Fearful people are irrational and easier to manipulate."

This incensed X. He had avoided discussing the politics of Neo Arcadia since his return because he was simply glad to reconnect with his old friends and meet his new ones. He'd also had the feeling it was going to give him a headache. Touching on the subject, he found himself unable to back away, much like someone watching the aftermath of a train wreck.

"And they thought getting some big guns was going to fix that?" X asked, shaking his head. "Did they even have a plan other than sitting behind their walls?"

"They were planning to expand." Cial said, rolling her eyes. "Upward with taller buildings or downward, into the underground."

"That's the exact opposite of what I wanted!" X protested, planting his palm on his face. "Neo Arcadia was meant to be a shelter for everyone to grow stronger before setting out and rebuilding the rest of the world. Not a bunker for them to sit in and ignore the world's problems! What they did while I was gone wasn't just immoral, but also incredibly stupid."

"It was stupid." Cial said. "Stupid and unsustainable. There were people like our mother and the organizers of the Class of Fifty who saw that things needed to change, but after that project was scrapped and the copy officially took charge, it was out of their hands."

Catching himself, X let out a weary sigh.

"I'm glad someone fought it, at least. Even considering how things ended, I don't even want to imagine a world where Neo Arcadia had its way."

"It could never have ended peacefully." Cial noted. "For my part, I am glad that Zero and the Resistance were able to save some lives."

She then paused for a moment, before her dour expression brightened up ever-so-slightly.

"Come to think of it, we have a prime opportunity here. After all, you might be considered the founder of Neo Arcadia. Or one of them at least."

"And with Neige's interview coming up, you can set the record straight." Ciel agreed.

"Come to think of it…" Cial added. "We know that Neo Arcadia was not always a disaster waiting to happen. How did things go so well during your time?"

"It's not like I did anything special." X said, shaking his head. "After we beat Sigma on the moon, the world was just a mess. He was one of the major causes, but there were more than a few other problems."

"I remember the old documentaries." Ciel said with a nod. "Large portions of the Earth were reduced to ruins or polluted beyond belief."

"I just tried to bring people together." X said. "Help them make a fresh start. With no more Maverick uprisings to put down, I threw myself into that with the same dedication. I couldn't be everywhere and do everything, but I tried... and I got help from some of the brightest minds of the time."

"It went a little too well." Zero added, having chosen that time to go check up on them. "You ended up stepping down from your position at the Hunters to get the place up and running. Maybe you tried to do so much people were lost without you."

"I guess that eases any concerns I might still have about your memory." Ciel noted.

"Yeah, it's all back." Zero said, tapping his forehead. "For better and for worse."

Then he turned to face X.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?"

"What do you mean?" X asked.

"You know what I mean." Zero said with a sigh. "Picking at old wounds after the day you've had."

"Might as well get all the questions out of the way so I can move on with my life." X said.

"Fair enough." Zero conceded. "If you go into one of your moods again, I'll just have to give you a good shake."

"Tough love, huh?" Ciel remarked with a grin.

"I wouldn't put it quite that way." Zero said, surprised once again by her snarky vein. "But sometimes a softy like him needs to hear some things he doesn't like."

"Yeah, I know." X said. "I appreciate how you've always had my back since I was a rookie Hunter. You don't get nearly enough recognition."

"Don't care about recognition." Zero retorted with a shrug. "Never did."

"Still, disappearing every time someone wanted to give us a public award ceremony was a dick move." X pointed out in mock outrage.

"You handled those well enough on your own." Zero retorted with a mischievous grin.

"I'd rather face ten rampaging Mechaniloids than stand in front of crowds and cameras again." X grumbled.

"Fine." Zero said. "The next time they come I'll just grab a broom."

"A broom?" X asked, getting the feeling he was being led on.

"Yeah. A broom." Zero said. "I'll just wave it around and shout."

Zero then changed his tone, doing a terrible impression of a woman with a strange accent.

"You listen here! He is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy! Now go away!"

"You really are a jerk sometimes." X said, playfully punching him in the shoulder while trying to hold back his laughter.

"I don't get it…" Cial muttered.

"We'll drop by the base later." Zero said with a smile. "Check if there was a copy in the movie section."

"But looking at the here and now." Ciel added with a smile. "I'm glad we're all moving forward together."

"Maybe I'll never be able to completely get over all of that." X pondered. "But wondering what might have been won't change things."

Finding the bench increasingly comfortable after such a long, mentally exhausting day, X allowed himself another moment of reflection.

"But I think I know exactly why that copy's actions made me angry in a way not even Sigma could."

"I know where this is going." Zero said. "Because he was supposed to be a perfect replica of you?"

X nodded.

"For many years I watched too many Reploids lose their minds. Since all Reploids were based on my design, I wondered if the technology was too advanced for Dr. Cain to replicate or if there was a flaw hidden deep inside me."

In the back of the shed, Fefnir used his monstrous strength to haul an engine block with his bare hands. Axl suddenly zoomed past him, a little too close for comfort, carrying smaller components in boxes and catching him by surprise.

"You little..." the Guardian hissed in annoyance, momentarily losing his balance.

He quickly tried to straighten himself again, but the engine block slipped from his grasp and landed squarely on his right foot.

X and the others glanced in his direction. Before they could say anything, however, Fefnir brushed them off.

"I've had worse." he hissed between clenched teeth.

As he prepared to lift the object again and finish hauling it to the intended destination, Axl zoomed by again, carrying more boxes.

"Knock that off!" Fefnir growled, glaring daggers at him.

Leviathan set the power cells she had been carrying down on the nearest workbench, then stopped in place for a moment before reaching out and catching Axl's ear mid-sprint.

"You. Slow down." she scolded.

"Sorry." he said, looking genuinely surprised that she had caught him.

Seeing the downcast look in his eyes up close, missing the usual mischievous glimmer, bothered her for some reason she could not fathom.

"_Damnit… I'd almost rather have the clown back than seeing this."_

Prying herself away, she headed outside to help her siblings.

"Actually, we should probably-" X tried to say.

"Don't worry about it." Fefnir grumbled, sounding surprisingly considerate. "We know that trip gave you even more crap to think about."

With that, he continued on his way.

"I've never seen Fefnir acting like that." Ciel noted.

"You're telling me." Zero added. "It's almost creepy."

After a short awkward silence, they resumed their conversation.

"After all this time, what is your conclusion?" Cial asked.

"Well…" X said, managing to smile before nodding in Zero's direction. "This guy here eventually got me to accept that people are people. Nobody has all the answers."

"Great." Zero jokingly remarked. "It only took you what, a hundred years?"

"That said, my attachments have always been my weakness." X mused. "And my strength."

"You've always been a sap." Zero teased. "But when things get tough you always pull through."

"And this guy here…" X added, grinning as he turned to the twins and nodded in Zero's direction again. "He's almost as soft as I am. He's just better at hiding it."

"Better than having a one track mind like that asshole Vile." Zero scoffed.

"Wherever he is, I hope he stays there." X said with a scowl.

Seeing that Axl and the Guardians were hauling in the last of the components, Ciel stood up.

"Well then, I'm going to start going over that Ride Armor you brought back."

"It is a good model." Cial noted. "And maybe the schematics for other variants survived elsewhere."

"I'll have to bring that up with Thaddeus next time I go see him." Ciel said.

X stood up as well and stretched his limbs. Despite being rather excited at the prospect of having a Ride Armor to restore, he would need some time to digest the events of the day.

A sudden urge seized him and he stepped outside. Another day was nearing its end and as he watched the reddening sky, he allowed himself a very human indulgence, sitting down on a patch of grass.

* * *

Moments later, X heard a rustling, and looked over his shoulder to see Cial.

"Is something else on your mind?" X asked, slowly learning to read her moods.

"That artifact of yours still puzzles me." she admitted, plopping down next to him. "I am not lacking for clarity of purpose, but I still cannot speak to the entity inside."

"I suppose it may be a bit easier for me since I had already opened myself to that power without realizing it." X mused. "But I get the feeling that's not all."

"Perhaps. Perhaps I am still being held back by remorse. Or perhaps it is tied to the fact that… I do not form connections to others as easily as my sister… or as you."

"You seem to be doing just fine with us." X countered. "And with Axl."

"You say the most outrageous things sometimes." she scoffed.

Seeing the amused smile on his face, she eventually relented ever-so-slightly.

"I will admit that there is more to him than the buffoon he tries to play. But do not get the wrong idea."

She then sighed, pausing for a moment to grasp for the right words.

"I meant in the broader sense. Bonds and attachments in general. But not only that."

"Then what?"

"Projecting the presence you all do. I am an organizer, not a leader. A silent workhorse at best."

X shook his head.

"There's nothing wrong with not liking the spotlight. I don't much care for it myself, even if the world has other plans for me half the time."

The crimson sky, the silence broken only by the occasional just of wind and Ciel's excited squeals from inside the shed and the lingering mental fatigue lulled X into a tranquil state. With no more errands to run for the day and the next council meeting weeks away, he allowed himself to relax and reclined on the grass.

"Let me tell you what I think." he continued.

"Please do."

"I think this isn't just about getting the glowing space rock to talk to you. I think this is about the way you handle your feelings... and what you believe about yourself."

"That power does stir things in me that I had left undisturbed for a long time." Cial conceded. "Perhaps past events created a blockage of sorts and now…"

"The dam is cracking and you feel a bit lost?" X deduced. "I'm no doctor and I don't have the whole picture, but you still have some things to work out like the rest of us."

"It sounds ridiculously simple when put into words, does it not?" Cial mused with a sad smile.

"There's a difference between knowing something and feeling it." X said with a shrug. "Recognizing the issue is the first step."

"But I'll say this much." he added. "You're no horse."

It was a simple, innocent remark, but it definitely stirred something, possibly due to who it was coming from. Finding herself at a loss for a retort, she simply sat there.

"But you must have realized by now." X added. "That absolute self-control you try to put on display isn't helping anyone, least of all you."

Deep inside, she knew he was right, but she still tried to play coy.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Maybe you're spending too much effort and energy in keeping that up? Why not try being a little more honest about your thoughts and feelings?"

Cial sighed and stared at him with a conflicted expression.

"Ah. The thing is, sometimes I fear that if I were to let it all out… I would not be able to stop the outpouring."

"I've been there before." X said. "Trust me, bottling things up ends badly."

Something about Cial's expression reminded him of the strange boy and his suit of armor, and he had a good idea why.

"_That suit is a__ shell, like the mask she wears. __Both of them are wounded in a way… and hide that wound in their own ways. Funny how both of them ended up crossing my path.__"_

If he were to be completely honest, the boy's single-minded dedication to his strange cause struck an uncomfortable chord, reminding X of his own past excesses.

"_If I'd fully awakened to th__is__ power before I __had__the __maturity and emotional grounding __to handle it__… that could have been me."_

He then abruptly sat up, the spark of an idea going off in his mind.

"_M__asks..."_

"I'd like you to try something." he said, looking at Cial. "A little exercise."

Seeing her quizzical look, he elaborated.

"You can be expressive when you want to. In your own clever, snarky way."

"And?"

"Why not build on that? Is there something you need to get off your chest here and now? Nobody else is here and my lips are sealed."

Cial paused for a moment, pondering this, then reluctantly nodded.

"Fine."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Cial?" X called out.

Her eyes abruptly snapped open and she opened her mouth, as if trying to force as many words out as she could before clamming up again.

"How is this for honesty then? I love my mother and sister. I wish the old man would stop shutting himself away and actually be a part of our lives."

"Good." X said encouragingly. "Go on."

"All of you are… important to me." she continued, looking just a tiny bit flustered. "Yes, even the buffoon, but I'll be damned if I say that to his face."

Without needing further encouragement, she continued, her words taking a turn for the slightly awkward.

"And another thing. It frustrates me to no end how half the people around me act when gripped by romantic affection. It defies my comprehension. Seeing my sister so happy gladdens me, but when I look at you, or Leviathan… I feel like weeping."

She then froze momentarily.

"_In fact… __s__omething about Axl's recent behavior reminds me of-"_

"Better?" X asked, unwittingly derailing her train of thought.

"A little." Cial admitted, looking as though she had taken a heavy burden off her back.

X smiled again.

"I'm glad."

The fact that he and Zero were still able to smile like that despite everything the world had thrown at them was another source of confusion and hope for her. Even on days when she was feeling particularly grumpy, spending time around them, or Ciel and Alouette would swiftly change her mood.

"_I am turning into a sap like them… Or… maybe I am simply going back to how I __was__ before that whole blasted mess."_

"Just… do not expect me to make a habit of it." she quickly said, trying to put her guard back up. "Not yet."

"Fair enough." X conceded with a smile. "We've made good progress for now."

"I will hold you to your word." she said, pointing at him.

"Lips are sealed." X repeated himself. "But what was that about Axl?"

"Don't push your luck, mister." she retorted in mock indignation.

"I know, he can be a bit of a handful and his sense of humor is a bit weird."

"Understatement of the century." she scoffed, though without a trace of irritation.

"But he has a big heart… and he's been through a lot."

"I know. But it sounds like there is more to it. In fact, that abrupt change in his attitude… I do not like it. It almost makes me miss his usual antics."

X sighed again. The subject was still painful for him as well, but he had spent enough time around the twins to know they could be as stubborn as him.

"None of like seeing him that way." X lamented. "What he needs right now is patience and compassion."

Realizing it was almost a little too quiet, Cial looked over her shoulder, staring through one of the shed's windows, and then glanced around, but found no sign of Axl.

"Where is he anyway?" she wondered.

X checked his internal clock.

"At this hour, he's probably off to spend some time with Alouette and Croire. Those two can't get enough of him."

"There is no accounting for taste, I suppose." she remarked, though X had grown accustomed enough to her to know she wasn't being serious.

"_She __goes on about__ how annoying he is, but she does care." _X noticed, amused and heartened. _"I guess he's like that bratty brother you can't really stay mad at."_

Cial checked her watch, a well-worn but lovingly cared for relic that had been handed down to her by a certain older scientist, and frowned.

"It looks like the day just flew on by. I should probably take another look at that artifact later. With your help perhaps I can find a way for the rest of us to-"

She was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the soft earth.

"Pardon me." a tall figure said with a young man's voice as it stepped around the corner of the shed.

X glanced in the direction of the voice, and quickly jumped to his feet in a start as the light of the setting sun cast a long winged shadow on the ground, evoking unwanted memories.

"Who's there?" he challenged.

The newcomer stepped closer, coming fully into view.

Before the two stood a tall young man, clad in a sleeveless white vest with matching fingerless gloves and armored leggings ending in a set of boots. Rather than the crimson eyes in X's memory, the stranger's soft face was decorated by a pair of vibrant emerald orbs which contrasted with the neatly cropped dark brown hair. Protruding from his back was the source of X's dread, a pair of mechanical wings with a clear clockwork motif, but fashioned from a strange substance that seemed to resemble alabaster more than metal.

"I hope I am not interrupting." the stranger said, slightly bowing his head. "I had planned to meet you in the morning but you returned sooner than anticipated."

X said nothing, standing there transfixed.

The stranger cast him a quizzical glance.

"Is something the matter?"

"Most likely those." Cial said, pointing at the wings.

"Oh." the stranger answered.

With a series of clicking noises, the wings neatly folded and disappeared into the stranger's back. As he stepped closer, they studied his features. The way the mechanical wings seemed to be a part of his body excluded the hypothesis of him being human, but with them out of the way his eyes still stood out.

"And you are?" Cial asked, better adept at concealing her surprise.

"My makers have seen fit to grace me with the name Aeon." he said, offering a hand to help her up, which she reluctantly accepted. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Noticing X's silence, he elaborated.

"I believe you were advised to expect my arrival?"

Something clicked in X's mind and, recalling their words, he visibly relaxed.

"Oh. Yes. Those two did say someone else was coming."

"They do have a habit of setting up surprises." Aeon said with a knowing smile.

"Not to be rude or anything, but…" X started to say. "What's with the wings?"

"My apologies." Aeon said earnestly. "I am still growing accustomed to this body and couldn't resist testing out them on the way here."

"Accustomed to this body?" X repeated. "Are you…?"

"Synthetic?" Aeon deduced with a smile. "Why yes. Not quite a Reploid, but close enough."

"_Sure. Why not?"_ X thought with resignation. _"So far I've seen Warriors of Light, angels, teenage geniuses, Reploid ghosts and an intergalactic bounty hunter __with her AI partner__. What's an alien robot on top of all that?"_

He realized that he was sounding a bit like a sarcastic old geezer in his inner monologue, but given his chronological age, he allowed himself the indulgence.

"I must ask though." Aeon added. "Does my appearance disturb you?"

"I'm not terribly fond of metal wings." X remarked.

"I was not aware of that." Aeon said apologetically.

"So why wings anyway?" X asked, a little curious.

"I borrowed some elements from both my makers when designing my appearance." the synthetic being explained.

"Ah. The lady." X realized.

Cial watched the exchange, a little confused by their words.

Samus picked this time to show up, having relieved herself of her bulky armor and replaced it with a white shirt, a sleeveless brown jacket, a matching pair of short shorts and hiking boots.

"A pleasure to see you again." Aeon said, nodding in acknowledgment. "How is Adam?"

Samus stopped in her tracks and tilted her head, staring intently at him for a moment before recognition dawned on her.

"I know your voice. The shipboard AI?"

"In the synthetic flesh." Aeon said, smiling at her.

"Will someone care to fill us in?" Cial chimed in.

"Right. I was getting there." Aeon said.

He leaned back against the wall of the shed and made himself comfortable before elaborating further.

"You have already met my makers."

"Those two…" Cial realized, wondering what other surprises they might be hiding.

"Yes, those two." Aeon confirmed. "You are not the first to be perplexed by their antics, and you will not be the last."

"They created you?" Cial asked.

He nodded, and then elaborated further.

"Some of your friends have already seen a small portion of the vessel that carries them between worlds. I began my existence there, but I yearned for something more. To experience reality in a more suitable form."

"I am certain that my sister will have plenty of questions." Cial noted, though the glimmer of curiosity in her eyes did not escape the notice of the others.

"More to the point." Samus chimed in, rolling her eyes at the flowery introduction. "You're here to back us up?"

"Quite." Aeon said with a nod. "Since my makers are so often preoccupied with other affairs, I offered to support your efforts on their behalf… and act as an emergency contact should the need arise."

He then turned to X.

"I hope you do not mind this little intrusion."

"Not at all." X said, shaking his head. "I'll take all the help I can get. It's just that you're a bit chattier than... him."

"In time, I know he will break free from that cage of his own making." Aeon said with a hopeful look on his face. "But for now, I have done all that I can, and there is work to be done here."

"I hope when he does, he won't talk like that." Samus remarked.

"Well then, come right in." X said, moving to open the door. "I'll introduce you to Ciel and you can meet the others later."

* * *

X opened the door and glanced inside, finding Ciel busily examining every detail of the old Ride Armor while Harpuia stood next to her.

"Remarkably well preserved." the Guardian remarked. "And with enough spare parts to withstand even Fefnir's reckless piloting."

The way he stared at the machine did not escape Ciel's notice. Despite staying serious and composed most of the time, he seemed actually excited.

"I have no doubt we can get it in working condition." she said with a smile. "But since technology moves on, there's probably some room for improvement."

"Defile a classic?" Harpuia asked, aghast at the notion.

"No." Ciel clarified, shaking her head. "This one is staying as it is. By the look of it, it just needs some cleaning and tuning, and then I'm sure X will have his fun with it. But…"

"But?"

"Having a functional model as a basis means we can eventually design our own versions." Ciel continued, glancing at Harpuia. "And we'll need someone's help testing them."

"Is this another ploy to get me to move in?" he asked with a faint hint of humor in his tone.

"No." she answered honestly. "But I still think you four deserve to be part of the future we're building here."

"We're thinking about it." he said curtly. "But it looks like you have visitors, so we'll speak again later."

With that, he quietly excused himself, nodding politely at X and the others.

* * *

About an hour later…

"You have made remarkable progress." Aeon noted, having finished going through all the assembled notes and Alia's recorded messages.

"I've got a lot of talented people helping out." X said. "We've made more progress in the last few months than I did in the last fifty years."

"What a tale…" Aeon said, looking genuinely moved. "A search for missing kin and a lost love, beyond time."

"I guess you can put it that way…" X muttered, looking a little embarrassed.

"Is it not the truth?" Aeon asked, a little amused at his reaction.

"It is." X conceded. "I've just always been a bit low key about it. Even when I felt like screaming it to the world."

"A little too low key, from what I've heard." Samus remarked.

"Well then, one must not disappoint." Aeon said, looking rather excited. "After going through the copious amount of data you have amassed, I am certain that you are on the right track."

"So what now?" X asked.

"This body may be mobile, but it still has access to my mainframe's full data processing capabilities." Aeon explained. "I am running possible scenarios in my mind. Calculating probabilities and possibilities."

"There's one big question right now." Samus said.

"I still can't figure out where Alia took the Nightmare Virus data." X added with a frown. "I've got my suspicions though."

"The Librarian's blind spot?" Aeon deduced, earning himself some confused glances.

"More specifically, its center." X said with a nod. "Megalopolis. Hunter HQ's advanced projects division set up shop there after we beat Sigma on the moon. They actually helped with some of the data processing for the Mother Elf project."

"You may be correct." Aeon said with a glazed look in his eyes as golden streams of light flickered across them. "If these records are accurate, the probability of the facility surviving the Dark Elf crisis in a usable state are significant. The blind spot itself concerns me, though."

"Do you have any idea what might have caused it?" X asked.

"A few." Aeon said somberly. "After all, extremes of light and darkness warp the fabric of reality."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

"Exactly that." Aeon said. "Just like there are wielders of the Light, so there are others who wield Darkness. Both of those powers can alter reality when they reach certain concentrations… or when wielded in a certain way."

"And you think something like that happened on the city?" X asked.

"Did the Librarian mention what specifically was blocking his sight?" Aeon asked.

"Well, no." X said.

"Then I will tell you." Aeon answered. "An abnormal concentration of ambient darkness. I suspect that at some point in the distant past, something great and terrible happened there."

"You mean something like… the first cataclysm?" X realized.

"Perhaps." Aeon said. "I suspect we will know more eventually."

"So it looks like both these searches are going to take us there." Samus summarized.

"But what's this about a Librarian?" Ciel asked.

X sighed and reached into his pocket.

"Right. With everything that's been happening I haven't had time to talk to you about this."

"In fact, it may be a good idea to check back with him." Aeon suggested. "Sometimes he forgets about everything else when he gets into his books and pet projects."

"This is going to take a little explaining first…" X said.

"Shall I meet you there, then?" Aeon asked. "I have my own means of access."

X simply nodded and Aeon quietly excused himself, vanishing in a flash of light much like his makers had done in previous encounters.

Once X was alone with the twins and the Huntress, he sighed and turned his attention to them.

"I hope you won't be too upset that I didn't mention this sooner."

"You're not making much sense." Samus retorted.

"I'm getting there." X said. "But where's Zero anyway?"

"He's gone off to visit Old Andrew." Ciel informed. "Probably won't be back before dinner."

"I guess I'll just have to fill him in later." X conceded.

With that, he reached into one of his tunic's pockets and produced the library card.

"Those two gave me a little something during one of their visits."

"I don't get it." Ciel said, eyeing the object in question, which, apart from its golden sheen and the unfamiliar script, seemed rather ordinary. The picture on it was rather flattering, giving X a solemn, dignified look.

"You will in a minute." X said. "They introduced me to someone you'll definitely want to meet. He's a bit of an eccentric, but so far I think we can trust him."

"Go on…" Ciel said, her curiosity piqued.

"It's probably easier if I just show you." X answered, extending his free hand towards her. "I've never tried taking guests with me, so stay close."

The twins nodded and grabbed the sleeve of his tunic without hesitation. X then glanced at Samus.

"Are you coming too?"

"Knowing those two, this is probably gonna get weird." Samus retorted with weary resignation. "Someone has to keep you in one piece until we get to the end of this."

* * *

Moments later...

In his garden, Raziel had just finished reading through yet another page when the complex weave of enchantments protecting his domain notified him of a new arrival.

He glanced over the book to find X, still holding his library card, with the twins still clinging to the sleeves of his tunic. Samus, on the other hand, was glancing around, her experienced eyes already appraising the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Oh. Good." the archangel remarked. "I had been meaning to resume our previous conversation. Time has little meaning inside this space, but it can still be infuriatingly easy to lose track of."

"And who are you supposed to be?" Samus retorted.

The Librarian stood up and bowed his head slightly.

"I am Raziel. An honor to make your acquaintance at last, Samus Aran."

The twins exchanged glances.

"_Wings…?"_ Cial thought, doubting her eyes.

"_What kind of place has X taken us into?"_ Ciel wondered, wide-eyed.

"I've heard your name before." Samus answered, staring at him without flinching. "So you're the kid's mentor?"

The twins exchanged glances again.

"_What's this about a kid?" _Ciel wondered.

"_Considering who exactly brought X here the first time…" _Cial thought. _"I wonder..."_

"In a manner of speaking." the Celestial answered, gazing right back at Samus. "I provide knowledge and the occasional personal opinion. The rest is his choice."

"I've got a thing or two to say about your methods." Samus retorted, crossing her arms. "But that kid is stubborn, I'll give you that. It'll take time to get through that thick head."

She then quirked en eyebrow, eyeing his attire.

"I don't suppose you know Palutena?" she asked, rather irreverently. "You look like you shop for clothes at the same place."

"I have made the Lady's acquaintance, yes." Raziel said, matter-of-factly, before turning around and beckoning them to follow. "But come. I have new information concerning X's predicament and you may get a little chilly out here."

"Smartass." Samus muttered under her breath, though the air of such unfathomable heights was becoming slightly bothersome to her exposed skin.

Once the group reached the front of the library, Raziel slowly swept his arm and the door swung open. Then he turned around and stared directly at the twins, who had remained silent throughout the whole exchange, digesting everything laid out before them.

"There is one other matter I need to discuss with X." he said. "But you will not grow bored waiting."

"What do you mean?" Cial asked.

"I am told that both of you young ladies are seekers of knowledge, much like I am." Raziel said with a conspiratorial smile, strategically blocking the view of the doorway with his wings. "I doubt the tomes in this collection will be of assistance in your current endeavor, but I hope you will enjoy them nonetheless."

Then he stepped out of the way and the twins felt their jaws drop as they beheld the sprawling collection and the bookshelves reaching higher and wider than what should have been physically possible to fit within that structure.

With their eyes threatening to bulge out of their sockets, the twins stepped inside, walking side by side at a hurried pace as they gazed upon the nearest bookshelves, seemingly oblivious to everything else.

Sitting at a small wooden table next to another row of bookshelves, Aeon watched in amusement with a tome already in his hand.

"That's… pretty much how I expected them to react." X remarked with a smile, feeling a little guilty about withholding his knowledge of the place for so long.

"If anything, it should provide a small distraction from the toils yet to come." Raziel said.

"And you have my thanks for that." X answered. "Things are better now that we got Ciel to delegate, but both of them are still working harder than anyone their age should. I-"

"You…" Ciel interrupted in mock outrage, abruptly turning and glaring at him.

"You were holding out on us…" Cial added in the same tone, turning to stare at him as well.

"Sorry." X answered with a sheepish grin. "You know I had a lot on my mind."

The twins exchanged glances and pretended to whisper amongst themselves in a small bit of improvised theatrics, then stared at him again.

"I think we can let you off the hook…" Ciel said, trying to put up a serious face but quickly slipping into a giddy smile.

"This time." Cial added, with marginally more success at keeping up the act.

While he knew they were kidding, X still dreaded the thought of getting on their bad side.

"So…" X finally said once the girls were finally out of earshot. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"There is an order to such things." Raziel said. "First, I believe I promised something the last time you visited."

X's eyes lit up.

"You mean…"

"Yes." Raziel said with a nod. "I will not bore you with the details of navigating the celestial bureaucracy, but he is ready to see you."

Caught by surprise and feeling a sudden trepidation, X struggled to contain himself.

"Where?"

Raziel raised a hand and in a ripple of bluish-white energy a portal took form in the air in front of him.

"Right this way."

X stared at the opening. Countless questions that he had never expected to have the chance to ask his maker bubbled in his mind. Strangely, with the possibility of getting answers right in front of him, he found himself hesitating, and he knew why.

In his mind, he had already built up an image of Dr. Thomas Light, and while he was undeniably excited about getting to speak to the man directly, part of him was also afraid that his maker might not meet his expectations.

"What's the matter?" Samus asked, reading his expression. "What's this about?"

"The last time I was here…" X explained. "He said... he might be able to help me speak to my father."

"I see..." Samus said, her expression unusually soft. "If that's true, then go for it."

"But…" X muttered.

"I lost my whole whole family when I was still a kid." Samus said, squeezing his shoulder and staring at him face to face. "I barely remember their faces."

"That's right… you did…" X recalled.

Again, he hesitantly stared at the portal.

"But… What if he's…"

He sighed again.

"What if he's not the man I thought him to be? Or what if I was a disappointment?"

Again, the Huntress showed her softer side and her skill at reading people.

"You only got to know Thomas through those recordings he left, but I knew him in person." she reminded him.

X felt like an idiot for momentarily forgetting that, but she was not finished.

"I can say that your old man was one of the kindest people I've ever met." she insisted. "You won't be disappointed to meet him, and he sure as hell won't be disappointed about you."

X nodded and took a deep breath to steady himself.

"It would be rude of me to waste this. But what about you? Wouldn't you want to see your family again?"

"I'm not sure if my folks would even recognize me after everything I've been through." Samus said with a sad smile. "Between the training, the countless battles, that one time my suit was infected and I had to get a Metroid DNA infusion…"

"What?" X muttered.

"A story for another time. But if this is the real deal, maybe…"

"I can assure you it is quite real." Raziel said, as if expecting some degree of doubt. "It is not an offer I extend to most due to the preparations required and the aggravation of dealing with the celestial bureaucracy, but I would be honored to do the same for you once I can make new preparations."

"We'll see." Samus said, trying her best to stay composed. "But if this is a trick, I'll pluck those wings with my bare hands for messing with us."

"Some truths are self-evident." Raziel answered, unflinching despite her threat. "If you wish, you may accompany your friend and see for yourself."

"Thomas was a good friend of mine." Samus retorted, shaking her head. "But this is between father and son."

She sighed and glanced back at X, patting him on the back.

"Go on. I'll just find something to read in the meantime."

X nodded and, with his hesitation mostly gone, he stepped through the portal, with Raziel following close behind.

* * *

With the disorienting sensation associated with the abrupt transition gone, X looked around, finding himself in a wide cobblestone path of some sort, fashioned from white stones. Overhead, rows of bright golden stars shone from high above, though without the blistering heat one would expect.

"What is this place?"

"One of the Paths of the Righteous." Raziel answered. "Stay close."

Before X could ask more questions, he elaborated further."There is not one single monolithic afterlife, but countless ones, interconnected across the infinite infinities. Since they can be a nightmare to navigate, even for one such as myself, I arranged for this meeting to take place here."

With that, Raziel led him towards what appeared to be a side path. After an indistinct length of time, however, they seemed to reach a dead end, with the cobblestones abruptly ending over what looked like a sea of endless clouds. X prepared to ask a question, but his guide pressed on.

As the archangel's feet neared the edge of the landmass, more cobblestones materialized, seemingly out of nowhere, and arranged themselves into a new, winding path, leading all the way to a small island floating in the air. This far off spot of land was somehow covered by a small meadow.

"So what now?" X asked.

Raziel's right hand lit up with the increasingly familiar white glow and he traced some strange symbol into the air, which lingered for a few moments before fading.

"He will be here soon." he finally said before turning around and heading back the way they had come. "Once you are ready to leave, simply use the card again. I have taken measures to ensure that you will not be interrupted."

And with that, he kept going, the cobblestones disappearing in his wake.

As X stood there, his stiff posture betraying his anxiety, there was another flash of light and a similar portal, only tinged pure white, opened on the spot where Raziel had left his mark. He stared intently at it and watched on as a tall, strongly built figure stepped through.

Once the light faded enough to render the newcomer fully visible, X first noticed the worn white labcoat, fluttering in the light ambient breeze. Then he took a good look at the wide, bearded face with the prominent nose and the eyes so similar to his own staring back at him, and he fell completely still as if struck by lightning.

"My boy…" the man said.

X recognized the voice he had heard in countless recordings, filled with emotion and pride as the man reached for his shoulders with broad, strong hands.

"Look at you, all grown up!"

It was definitely no trick, X realized, feeling as though his chest might burst. After such an exhausting and emotionally charged day, this was simply too much. His restraint quickly cracked and the tears started flowing freely.


End file.
